Adult human testicle with epididymis: A. Head of epididymis, B. Body of epididymis, C. Tail of epididymis, and D. Vas deferens
The right testicle, exposed by laying open the tunica vaginalis.
Details
Precursor
Wolffian ducts
Vein
Pampiniform plexus
Identifiers
Latin
epididymis
Greek
ἐπιδιδυμίς
MeSH
D004822
TA98
A09.3.02.001
TA2
3603
FMA
18255
Anatomical terminology
[edit on Wikidata]
The epididymis (/ɛpɪˈdɪdɪmɪs/; pl.: epididymides/ɛpɪdɪˈdɪmədiːz/ or /ɛpɪˈdɪdəmɪdiːz/) is an elongated tubular structure attached to the posterior side of each one of the two male reproductive glands, the testicles. It is a single, narrow, tightly coiled tube in adult humans, 6 to 7 centimetres (2.4 to 2.8 in) in length; uncoiled the tube would be approximately 6 m (20 feet) long.[1] It connects the testicle to the vas deferens in the male reproductive system. The epididymis serves as an interconnection between the multiple efferent ducts at the rear of a testicle (proximally), and the vas deferens (distally). Its primary function is the storage, maturation and transport of sperm cells.
^Kim, Howard H.; Goldstein, Marc (2010). "Chapter 53: Anatomy of the epididymis, vas deferens, and seminal vesicle". In Graham, Sam D.; Keane, Thomas E.; Glenn, James F. (eds.). Glenn's urological surgery (7th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 356. ISBN 978-0-7817-9141-0.
and transport of sperm cells. The epididymis is situated posterior and somewhat lateral to the testis. The epididymis is invested completely by the tunica...
appendix of the epididymis (or pedunculated hydatid) is a small stalked appendage (sometimes duplicated) on the head of the epididymis. It is usually regarded...
derived from the epididymis, a part of the male reproductive system. The term is also applied to females despite the lack of an epididymis in female anatomy...
Ligament of epididymis may refer to: Inferior ligament of epididymis Superior ligament of epididymis This disambiguation page lists articles associated...
capacity of the epididymis at lower extra-abdominal temperatures than to the testis itself. Greater sperm storage capacity in the epididymis has been associated...
scrotum. In scrotal mammals the epididymis is attached to the testes in an extra-abdominal position where the cauda epididymis extends beyond the lowest extremity...
Complete duplication of the testicle, epididymis and vas deferens. Type A2: The supernumerary testicle has its own epididymis and shares a vas deferens. Type...
irregular epididymis upon palpation, though palpation may reveal an indurated epididymis. A scrotal ultrasound may reveal problems with the epididymis, but...
the epididymis is a strand of fibrous tissue which is covered by a reflection of the tunica vaginalis and connects the upper aspect of the epididymis with...
The epididymis is a long whitish mass of tightly coiled tube. The sperm that are produced in the seminiferous tubules flow into the epididymis. During...
granulomas are present along the vas deferens, the rest of them form at the epididymis. Sperm granulomas range in size, from one millimeter to one centimeter...
the epididymis is a strand of fibrous tissue which is covered by a reflection of the tunica vaginalis and connects the lower aspect of the epididymis with...
initial section of the epididymis. There are two basic designs for efferent ductule structure: a) multiple entries into the epididymis, as seen in most large...
WAP four-disulfide core domain protein 2 - also known as Human Epididymis Protein 4 (HE4) - is a protein that in humans is encoded by the WFDC2 gene. HE4...
differentiation of the reproductive system. The Wolffian duct forms the epididymis, vas deferens, ejaculatory duct, and seminal vesicle in the male reproductive...
located in the mediastinum testis, to the efferent ducts, and then to the epididymis where newly created sperm cells mature (spermatogenesis). The sperm move...
pouch of serous membrane within the scrotum that lines the testis and epididymis (visceral layer of tunica vaginalis), and the inner surface of the scrotum...
also involve swelling, pains and frequent infection, particularly of the epididymis, as in epididymitis. The term is from the Ancient Greek ὄρχις meaning...
similar benign mass called epididymis cyst. Although both epididymis cyst and spermatocele may be referred as the same, the epididymis cyst does not contain...
epididymal obstruction, the epididymis is exposed by opening the outer testis covering (tunica vaginalis). The epididymis is inspected and an individual...
found unconnected with the epididymis. A second tube, the ductulus aberrans superior, occurs in the head of the epididymis; it is connected with the rete...
pronephros duct. In the male, the duct persists, and forms the tube of the epididymis, the vas deferens and the ejaculatory duct, while the seminal vesicle...
testicular pain, the pain of epididymitis is typically localized to the epididymis at the rear pole of the testicle. Epididymitis may also be characterized...
columnar epithelia with stereocilia are located in the epididymis. Stereocilia of the epididymis are not cilia because their cytoskeleton is composed of...
long time, the epididymis is adversely affected by elevated pressure. As sperm are nurtured to maturity within the normal epididymis, sperm counts may...
transported to the epididymis in testicular fluid secreted by the Sertoli cells, with the aid of peristaltic contraction. Whilst in the epididymis, they acquire...
includes the penis, scrotum, testicles, sperm duct, prostate gland and epididymis, and by secondary sex characteristics, including a narrower pelvis and...
testicular veins from the back of the testis and tributaries from the epididymis. The veins of the plexus ascend along the spermatic cord in front of the...
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