The testicles are two small oval shaped organs which hang below the penis in a pouch of skin called the ’scrotum’. They are part of the male reproductive system. From the age of puberty the testicles produce sperm which can fertilise the female egg.

The collecting tubules inside the testicle join together to form a tube called the epididymis. This tube carries on and gets wider as it leaves the testicle. This wider tube is called the spermatic cord. The spermatic cord continues to form a short tube called the ejaculatory duct. It is this duct that opens into the urethra (the tube from the bladder to the end of the penis), just above the prostate gland.

During ejaculation, sperm move from the epididymis, up the spermatic cord to the ejaculatory duct. They are mixed with liquid called semen and propelled out of the penis.

The testicles also produce the hormone ‘testosterone’. Testosterone is the main cause of male qualities such as

—      A deep voice 

—      Beard growth 

—      Muscle development 

—      The ability to have an erection 

—      Sex drive (libido)

Last updated 04 October 2006

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