Anatomic.us > Reproductive System

Epididymis

The word Epididymis itself is of Latin origin. It is the part of the Male Reproductive System. It connects the Efferent Ducts from the back of each Testicle to its Vas Deferens. It is narrow tightly coiled tube with the average length of 6 cm to 7 cm.

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Female Reproductive|Male Reproductive

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Epididymis


ANATOMY

Epididymis divided into three parts which are as follows.

  • Head (Caput); through the Efferent Ducts of the Mediastinum of Testes Head of the Epididymis gets Spermatozoa. It has a thin Myoepithelium due to which the concentration of sperm is dilute in this region.

  • Body (Corpus)

  • Tail (Cauda); it absorbs nutrients to make the sperm more concentrated. Its Myoepithelium is thicker here than the Head region.

 

A two layered Pseudostratified Epithelium covers the Epididymis. Basement membrane from the Connective Tissue wall which has smooth muscle cells separates the Epithelium. The major cells in this Epithelium are as follows.

  • Main Cells; extending from Lumen to Basal Lamina they form the majority of Epithelium. The secrete Carnitine, Sialic Acid and Glycoproteins into the Lumen

  • Basal Cells; they are short pyramid shaped cells that are in contact with Basal Lamina but the contact cuts off before their Apical surfaces touch the Lumen.

  • Apical Cells; they are present mainly in the Head region

  • Clear Cells; they are present in the Tail region

  • Intraepithelial Lymphocytes; these are distributed throughout the tissue.

 

BLOOD SUPPLY

Epididymis shares a common supply of blood as that of Testis. The main supply comes from Paired Testicular Arteries, a branch of Abdominal Aorta. These arteries forming part of the Spermatic Cord reach the Testis after passing through the Inguinal Canal. The venous drainage of epididymis occurs through the Pampiniform Plexus which is afterwards reduced to a single vein named as Testicular Vein. The Testicular vein drains eventually into the Inferior Vena Cava on the right side and the left renal vein into the left side.

LYMPH DRAINAGE

The Testicular lymph vessels go upwards towards the Spermatic Cord and end in the Para- Aortic Lymph Nodes at the level of First Lumbar Vertebrae.

 

FUNCTION

Spermatozoa is formed in the Testis. From here it enters into the Head region of Epididymis. After that it keep on progressing into the Body and it is ultimately stored in the tail region. The sperm in the Head region are incomplete lacking the ability to move forward and fertilize the egg. It stores the sperm for 2 to 3 months where it undergoes maturation process. Final maturation of Sperm occurs in female reproductive tract. One of the Epididymis primary functions is to absorb the fluids and additional substances to seminal fluid to nourish the maturing sperm.

 

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Disease caused by the inflammation of Epididymis is called Epididymitis which is more common than inflammation of Testis. The procedure to surgically remove the Epididymis is called Epididymectomy.



ANATOMY

Epididymis divided into three parts which are as follows.

  • Head (Caput); through the Efferent Ducts of the Mediastinum of Testes Head of the Epididymis gets Spermatozoa. It has a thin Myoepithelium due to which the concentration of sperm is dilute in this region.

  • Body (Corpus)

  • Tail (Cauda); it absorbs nutrients to make the sperm more concentrated. Its Myoepithelium is thicker here than the Head region.

 

A two layered Pseudostratified Epithelium covers the Epididymis. Basement membrane from the Connective Tissue wall which has smooth muscle cells separates the Epithelium. The major cells in this Epithelium are as follows.

  • Main Cells; extending from Lumen to Basal Lamina they form the majority of Epithelium. The secrete Carnitine, Sialic Acid and Glycoproteins into the Lumen

  • Basal Cells; they are short pyramid shaped cells that are in contact with Basal Lamina but the contact cuts off before their Apical surfaces touch the Lumen.

  • Apical Cells; they are present mainly in the Head region

  • Clear Cells; they are present in the Tail region

  • Intraepithelial Lymphocytes; these are distributed throughout the tissue.

 

BLOOD SUPPLY

Epididymis shares a common supply of blood as that of Testis. The main supply comes from Paired Testicular Arteries, a branch of Abdominal Aorta. These arteries forming part of the Spermatic Cord reach the Testis after passing through the Inguinal Canal. The venous drainage of epididymis occurs through the Pampiniform Plexus which is afterwards reduced to a single vein named as Testicular Vein. The Testicular vein drains eventually into the Inferior Vena Cava on the right side and the left renal vein into the left side.

LYMPH DRAINAGE

The Testicular lymph vessels go upwards towards the Spermatic Cord and end in the Para- Aortic Lymph Nodes at the level of First Lumbar Vertebrae.

 

FUNCTION

Spermatozoa is formed in the Testis. From here it enters into the Head region of Epididymis. After that it keep on progressing into the Body and it is ultimately stored in the tail region. The sperm in the Head region are incomplete lacking the ability to move forward and fertilize the egg. It stores the sperm for 2 to 3 months where it undergoes maturation process. Final maturation of Sperm occurs in female reproductive tract. One of the Epididymis primary functions is to absorb the fluids and additional substances to seminal fluid to nourish the maturing sperm.

 

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Disease caused by the inflammation of Epididymis is called Epididymitis which is more common than inflammation of Testis. The procedure to surgically remove the Epididymis is called Epididymectomy.

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