Chapter 19: Male

Reproductive System
• Introduction & Structure • Thermoregulation
• Male reproductive system → critical for species • Maintained by:
survival. • Cremaster + dartos muscles (positioning of testes).
• Scrotal skin thickness & evaporative cooling.
• In production animals: infertility in a small number of • Pampiniform plexus countercurrent heat exchange.
males has large productivity impact. • Non-pulsatile arterial blood flow in testicular capsule.
• Infertility often irreversible unless cause found and
corrected.
• Male tract divided into: • Cell Types
• Scrotum and contents • Spermatogenic cells – spermatozoa via
• Accessory genital glands spermatogenesis (proliferative → meiotic →
• Penis and prepuce spermatogenic phases).
• Spermatozoa structure:
• Head (nucleus + acrosome).
• Neck (articular plate).
• Tail (midpiece with mitochondria + axoneme for motility).
• Scrotum and Contents • Sertoli cells (sustentacular) – support
• Purpose: produce spermatozoa and testosterone. spermatogenesis.
• Maintain blood-testis barrier.
• Includes: testis, epididymis, spermatic cord (deferent
• Controlled by FSH (on Sertoli cells) + LH (on Leydig cells).
duct, pampiniform plexus, cremaster muscle), vaginal • Crosstalk with germ and Leydig cells.
tunics. • Modify spermatogenesis by regulating apoptosis.
• Testicular development: quiescent until puberty → • Leydig (interstitial endocrine) cells – produce
spermatogenesis begins. testosterone, cytokines, maintain anti-inflammatory
• Testis covered by capsule (tunica albuginea) → testicular environment.
maintains pressure. • Epithelial lining cells – rete tubules, efferent
ductules, epididymis → absorption, secretion,
• Interstitial region: Leydig (interstitial endocrine) phagocytosis, sperm transport.
cells, vessels, immune cells.
• Accessory genital gland cells – storage & secretion
• Seminiferous tubules: myoid cells + basement (nutritional/transport medium for sperm).
membrane + germ cells.
• Accessory Genital Glands
• Functions:
• Produce ejaculatory fluid (nutrition, transport, protection).
• Fructose as sperm energy source.
• Some fluids used in scent marking.
• Species differences:
• Horse/ruminants: all four glands (ampullae, vesicular, prostate,
bulbourethral).
• Pig: no ampullae, large vesicular + bulbourethral glands.
• Dog: only prostate.
• Cat: prostate + bulbourethral glands.
• Secretion type: vesicular + prostate = serous; bulbourethral =
mucoid.

• Penis and Prepuce

• Species differences:
• Horse: erectile penis, smegma production.
• Ruminants & pigs: long fibrous penis, sigmoid flexure, urethral process
(small ruminants), corkscrew boar penis.
• Dog: erectile penis + os penis, bulbus glandis.
• Cat: penile spines (testosterone-dependent).
• Functions:
• Deposit sperm in species-specific sites (intrauterine in horse/pig;
cervix/vagina in others).
• Adaptations for ensuring dominant male fertilization: prolonged coitus
(dog, pig), penile spines (cat), spraying semen (small ruminants).
• Overall Function
• Provide haploid spermatozoa for fertilization with female ovum.
• Produce hormones (testosterone) for male phenotype, behavior,
and female estrus stimulation.
• Support spermatozoa transport, protection, and fertilization
capacity.
• Testicular Neoplasia – General •
• Teratoma
Species prevalence:
• From totipotent primordial germ cells.
• Common: older dogs • Occurs in young horses, esp. cryptorchid testes.
• Less frequent: horses (esp. aged stallion) • Gross: large, cystic/polcystic, may contain hair, bone, teeth,
• Rare: other species nervous tissue.
• Cell of origin: • Histology: tissues from ≥2 embryonic germ layers (ectoderm,
mesoderm, endoderm).
• Germ cells
• Usually benign, well-differentiated.
• Interstitial endocrine (Leydig) cells
• Testicular sustentacular (Sertoli) cells
• Other rare types: embryonal carcinoma, etc.
• Occasionally mesenchymal tissues or metastases
• Common primary tumors:
• Seminoma (germ cell) • Interstitial (Leydig) Cell Tumors
• Interstitial (Leydig) cell tumor • Most common in bull, dog, and cat.
• Sertoli cell tumor • Almost always benign, may begin as nodular hyperplasia.
• Usually benign, metastasis rare (when present → spermatic • May produce hormones (incl. estrogen).
cord, scrotal lymph nodes). • Gross: spherical, well-demarcated, tan–orange, sometimes
hemorrhagic.
• Histology:
• Germ Cell Neoplasms • Encapsulated, noninvasive.
• Cells in solid sheets or packets, separated by fine stroma.
• Seminoma • Dog: polyhedral or spindle-shaped cells, abundant vacuolated
• Most common in aged stallion; second most common in cytoplasm (lipid, lipofuscin).
dogs. • Minimal anisokaryosis, rare mitoses.
• ↑ risk in cryptorchid testes. • Hemorrhage & necrosis common.
• Often multicentric and locally invasive, but metastasis rare. • Mixed Germ Cell–Sex Cord–Stromal Tumors
• Gross: homogeneous, white/pink-gray, firm, bulges on cut, fine
trabeculae.
• Rare (also called gonadoblastomas).
• Histology: • Often in cryptorchid testes.
• Intratubular or diffuse patterns. • Gross: large, firm, gray-white/tan, multilobed; resembles
• Large round cells, scant cytoplasm, prominent nucleolus. Sertoli cell tumor.
• High mitotic count, anisokaryosis (up to 6-fold).
• Giant cells may occur.
• Histology: mixture of seminoma + Sertoli cell tumor; germ
• CD8+ T-cell aggregates near vessels → diagnostic feature. cells intermingle with Sertoli cells in tubular structures.
• Behaviorally benign despite “malignant” histologic appearance.
• Sertoli Cell Tumors • Dogs – Common Male Reproductive Disorders
(Table 19.4)
• 3rd most common canine testicular tumor
• Scrotum & contents
(rare in other species). • Cryptorchidism (common, esp. cats; most common
• 50% occur in retained (cryptorchid) testes. feline testicular disease)
• Epididymitis
• Gross: well circumscribed, expansile, firm, • Testicular neoplasia:
white, lobulated by fibrous tissue; may enlarge • Interstitial (Leydig) cell tumor
• Seminoma
testis dramatically. • Sertoli cell tumor
• Metastasis: rare; when present → spermatic • Accessory genital glands (dog only =
cord ± superficial inguinal (scrotal) LN; distant prostate)
metastasis very rare. • Carcinoma
• Paraprostatic cysts
• Histology: • Prostatic hyperplasia
• Abundant fibrous tissue (distinguishes from other • Prostatitis
testicular tumors). • Penis & prepuce
• Neoplastic Sertoli cells palisade along fibrous • Nonspecific posthitis
stroma or form tubular structures. • Papilloma
• Can resemble normal Sertoli cells or be poorly • Canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT)
differentiated. • Cats (contrast):
• Clinical effects: • Scrotum & contents: cryptorchidism
• ~33% produce hormones (estrogen, inhibin). • Penis/prepuce: urolithiasis
• Feminization syndrome: gynecomastia, • Cryptorchidism
alopecia, squamous metaplasia of prostate. • Dogs & cats: common.
• Hyperestrogenism • In cats = most common testicular disease.
→ myelosuppression/aplastic anemia →
anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia (life- • Predisposes to testicular neoplasia, esp. Sertoli cell
threatening). tumor, seminoma.
• Epididymitis / Orchitis • Prostatic Hyperplasia
• Seen most in mature dogs, not just puberty. • Hormone related: testosterone + estrogen interplay.
• Etiology: • Absent in castrated dogs.
• Gram-negative bacteria (e.g., E. coli; ascending infection). • Clinical: constipation (“ball valve” pelvic effect), rarely
• Brucella canis (hematogenous). urethral stenosis.
• Pathology: • Gross: diffuse enlargement ± cystic.
• Tail of epididymis & vaginal tunics often affected. • Histology:
• Severe → necrotizing orchitis. • Acinar epithelial hyperplasia with large cells &
• eosinophilic globules.
Painful, doughy enlarged scrotum.
• Stromal hyperplasia → fibromuscular increase.
• Systemic signs: anorexia, lethargy, fever, endotoxemia.
• Complex hyperplasia = nodules, cysts, localized atrophy.
• May fistulate due to self-trauma (licking/chewing).
• Outcome: testicular atrophy/degeneration invariable; • Estrogen (esp. from Sertoli cell tumor) → squamous
prostatitis common. metaplasia of prostatic epithelium.
• Squamous metaplasia = NOT preneoplastic.

• Testicular Neoplasms (dog)

• Prostatic & Paraprostatic Cysts
• 3 common primary tumors:
• Intraprostatic cysts: with hyperplasia, squamous
• Seminoma
metaplasia, prostatitis.
• Sertoli cell tumor
• Interstitial (Leydig) cell tumor
• Paraprostatic cysts: outside capsule; origins
debated.
• See “multiple species” notes for detail (all can occur • Enlarged uterus masculinus (remnant).
alone or together). • Serosal inclusion cysts (no epithelium).
• Prostate Disorders (dog) • Hyperplastic glandular cysts penetrating capsule.

• Dogs = only domestic species to spontaneously • Can be huge (up to 30 cm).

develop prostatic hyperplasia with age. • Some infected/abscessed; some with
Cats = prostate + bulbourethral glands exist but rarely mineralization/ossification.
diseased. • Histology: flattened cuboidal lining, mesothelium-like
cells, or granulation/fibrous tissue.
• Prostatitis
• Occurs in both young (without hyperplasia) and old (with hyperplasia).
• Pathogenesis: • Penis & Prepuce
• Acute: ascending bacteria (E. coli, Proteus vulgaris).
• Chronic: follows unresolved acute cases. • Dogs: erectile bulbs, penis largely
• Abscess form. intrapreputial.
• Interstitial form (mild, common in old dogs, often silent).
• Brucella canis-associated form.
• Cats: testosterone-dependent penile spines.
• Histology: • Common: nonspecific posthitis.
• Acute: neutrophils, necrosis.
• Chronic: lymphocytes, plasma cells, fibrosis.
• Abscesses: may persist or fibrose.
• Interstitial: mild, atrophy of glandular tissue. • Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumor
• Clinical concern: toxemia, urinary obstruction.
(CTVT)
• Unique transmissible
• Prostatic Carcinoma neoplasm (allotransplantation of histiocyte-
• Most important canine prostatic neoplasm. Rare in cats.
• Castration not protective.
derived tumor cells).
• Hyperplasia/metaplasia do NOT precede carcinoma. • Spread by direct contact (mating, licking,
• Clinical: similar to hyperplasia (enlargement), plus cachexia, locomotor biting).
issues (invasion to spine/pelvis).
• Gross types: • Primary = external genitalia, esp. penis
• Massive enlargement – asymmetric, invasive, attached to pelvic (proximal parts). Can be extragenital,
structures. especially in stray/immune-suppressed dogs.
• Periurethral type – necrotic/cystic cavity, minimal enlargement, but
obstructive & metastatic. • Gross: red, ulcerated, multinodular, up to 10
• Histologic phenotypes (arise from prostatic ducts): cm.
• Squamous (SCC)
• Adenocarcinoma • Histology:
• Urothelial carcinoma • Sheets of large round cells, uniform,
• Mixed adenocarcinoma/urothelial
•
lymphocyte-like.
No reliable immunohistochemical markers due to shared embryologic origin
of ductal/glandular/urothelial cells. • Pale cytoplasm ± vacuoles.
• Prognosis: poor. • Frequent mitoses.
• ~80% metastasis to lymph nodes/lungs at diagnosis.
• ~20% metastasis to bone. • May undergo spontaneous regression
via lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity.