| Epididymis | |
|---|---|
 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 | Mesonephric ducts |
| Vein | Pampiniform plexus |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | epididymis |
| Greek | ἐπιδιδυμίς |
| MeSH | D004822 |
| TA98 | A09.3.02.001 |
| TA2 | 3603 |
| FMA | 18255 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
The epididymis (/ɛpɪˈdɪdɪmɪs/; pl.: epididymides /ɛpɪdɪˈdɪmədiːz/ or /ɛpɪˈdɪdəmɪdiːz/) is an elongated tubular genital organ 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.