Epididymis

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
PrecursorMesonephric ducts
VeinPampiniform plexus
Identifiers
Latinepididymis
Greekἐπιδιδυμίς
MeSHD004822
TA98A09.3.02.001
TA23603
FMA18255
Anatomical terminology

The epididymis (/ɛpɪˈdɪdɪmɪs/; pl.: epididymides /ɛpɪdɪˈdɪmədz/ or /ɛpɪˈdɪdəmɪdz/) 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.

  1. ^ 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.