Human Sexuality

Front 1

Phallic Symbols

Back 1

Images of the penis that are usually suggestive of generative power.

Front 2

Testes

Back 2

The male sex glands, suspended in the scrotum, that produce sperm cells and male sex hormones. Singular: testis.

Front 3

Testicles

Back 3

Testes.

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Penis

Back 4

The male organ of sexual intercourse.

Front 5

Corpora Cavernosa

Back 5

Cylinders of spongy tissue in the penis that become congested with blood and stiffen during sexual arousal.

Front 6

Corpus Spongiosum

Back 6

The spongy body that runs along the bottom of the penis, contains the penile urethra, and enlarges at the tip of the penis to form the glans.

Front 7

Corona

Back 7

The ridge that seaprates the glans from the body of the penis.

Front 8

Frenulum

Back 8

The sensitive strip of tissue that connects the underside of the penile glans to the shaft.

Front 9

Root

Back 9

The base of the penis, which extends into the pelvis.

Front 10

Shaft

Back 10

The body of the penis, which expands as a result of vasocongestion.

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Foreskin

Back 11

The loose skin that covers the penile glans. Also referred to as the prepuce.

Front 12

Circumcision

Back 12

Surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis.

Front 13

Phimosis

Back 13

An abnormal condition in which the foreskin is so tight that it cannot be withdrawn from the glans.

Front 14

Scrotum

Back 14

The pouch of loose skin that contains the testes.

Front 15

Spermatic Cord

Back 15

The cord that suspends a testicle withen the scrotum and contains a vas deferens, blood vessels, nerves, and the cremaster muscle.

Front 16

Vas Deferens

Back 16

A tube that conducts sperm from the testicle to the ejaculatory duct of the penis.

Front 17

Cremaster Muscle

Back 17

The muscle that raises and lowers the testicle in response to temperature changes and sexual stimulation.

Front 18

Dartos Muscle

Back 18

The muscle in the middle layer of the scrotum that contracts and relaxes in response to temperature changes.

Front 19

Germ Cell

Back 19

A cell from which a new organism develops.

Front 20

Sperm

Back 20

The male germ cell.

Front 21

Androgens

Back 21

Male sex hormones.

Front 22

Testosterone

Back 22

A male steroid sex hormone.

Front 23

Interstitial Cells

Back 23

Cells that lie between the seminiferous tubules and secrete testosterone.

Front 24

Leydig's Cells

Back 24

Another term for interstitial cells.

Front 25

Secondary Sex Characteristics

Back 25

Traits that distinguish the genders but are not directly involved in reproduction.

Front 26

Seminiferous Tubules

Back 26

Tiny, winding, sperm-producing tubes that are located within the lobes of the testes.

Front 27

Spermatogenesis

Back 27

The process by which sperm cells are produced and developed.

Front 28

Spermatocyte

Back 28

An early stage in the development of sperm cells, in which each parent cell has 46 chromosomes, including one X and one Y sex chromosome.

Front 29

Spermatids

Back 29

Cells formed by the division of spermatocytes. Each spermatid has 23 chromosomes.

Front 30

Spermatozoa

Back 30

Mature sperm cells.

Front 31

Epididymis

Back 31

A tube that lies against the back wall of each testicle and serves as a storage facility for sperm.

Front 32

Vasectomy

Back 32

A sterilization procedure in which the vas deferens is severed, preventing sperm from reaching the ejaculatory duct.

Front 33

Seminal Vesicles

Back 33

Small glands that lie behind the bladder and secrete fluids that combine with sperm in the ejaculatory ducts.

Front 34

Ejaculatory Duct

Back 34

A duct formed by the convergence of a vas deferens with a seminal vesicle through which sperm pass through the prostate gland and into the urethra.

Front 35

Cilia

Back 35

Hairlike projections from cells that beat rhythmically to produce locomotion or currents.

Front 36

Prostate Gland

Back 36

The gland that lies beneath the bladder and secretes prostatic fluid, which gives semen its characteristic odor and texture.

Front 37

Cowper's Glands

Back 37

Structures that lie below the prostate and empty their secretions into the urethra during sexual arousal.

Front 38

Bulbourethral Glands

Back 38

Another term for Cowper's glands.

Front 39

Semen

Back 39

The whitish fluid that constitutes the ejaculate, consisting of sperm and secretions from the seminal vesicles, prostate, and Cowper's glands.

Front 40

Urologist

Back 40

A physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the urogenital system.

Front 41

Urethritis

Back 41

An inflammation of the bladder or urethra.

Front 42

Cryptorchidism

Back 42

A condition in which one of two testicles fails to descend from the abdomen into the scrotum.

Front 43

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Back 43

Enlargement of the prostate gland due to hromonal changes associated with aging and characterized by symptoms such as urinary frequency, urinary urgency, and difficulty starting the flow of urine.

Front 44

Prostatitis

Back 44

Inflammation of the prostate gland.

Front 45

Erection

Back 45

The enlargement and stiffening of the penis as a consequence of engorgement with blood.

Front 46

Performance Anxiety

Back 46

Feelings of dread and foreboding experienced in connection with sexual activity (or any other activity that might be judged by another person).

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Reflex

Back 47

A simple, unlearned response to a stimulus that is mediated by the spine rather than the brain.

Front 48

Sacrum

Back 48

The thick, triangular bone located near the bottom of the spinal column.

Front 49

Autonomic Nervous System

Back 49

The division of the nervous system that regulates automatic bodily processes, such as heartbeat, pupil dilation, repiration, and digestion. Abbreviated ANS.

Front 50

Sympathetic

Back 50

The branch of the ANS most active during emotional responses that spend the body's reserves of energy, such as fear and anxiety. The sympathetic ANS largely controls ejaculation.

Front 51

Parasympathetic

Back 51

The branch of the ANS most active during processes that restore the body's reserves of energy, like digestion. The parasympathetic. ANS largely controls erection.

Front 52

Premature Ejaculation

Back 52

A sexual dysfunction in which the male persistently ejaculates too early to afford the couple adequate sexual gratification.

Front 53

Peyronie's Disease

Back 53

An abnormal condition characterized by an excessive curvature of the penis that can make erections painful.

Front 54

Orgasm

Back 54

The climax of sexual excitement.

Front 55

Paraplegic

Back 55

A person with sensory and motor paralysis of the lower half of the body.

Front 56

Emission Stage

Back 56

The first phase of ejaculation, which involves contractions of the prostate gland, seminal vesicles, and the upper part of the vas deferens.

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Ampulla

Back 57

A sac or dilated part of a tube or canal.

Front 58

Urethral Bulb

Back 58

The small tube that makes up the prostatic part of the urethral tract and that balloons out as muscles close at either end, trapping semen prior to ejaculation.

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Expulsion Stage

Back 59

The second stage of ejaculation, during which muscles at the base of the penis and elsewhere contract rhythmically, forcefully expelling semen and providing pleasurable sensations.

Front 60

Retrograde Ejaculation

Back 60

Ejaculation in which the ejaculate empties into the bladder.