Epididymis Flashcards
Excurrent duct system the direction of flow
Rete testis —> efferent ducts —> epididymis, then the vas deferens (ductus deferens)
Name the three major regions of the epididymis and the name of the small segment
Initial segment —> closest to efferent ducts ( doesn’t really count as a segment)
Head (caput)
Body (corpus)
Tail (cauda) - furtherest from efferent ducts
the significance of the Location of the epididymis
Positioning of epididymis plays a large role in orientation of testis
List 4 Fx of epididymis
Sperm transport
Sperm storage
Sperm maturation
Absorption of excess rete fluid
Ligaments of the epididymis (2)
Proper ligament of testis = epididymis (tail) to scrotum
Ligament of tail of epididymis = tail of the epididymis to scrotum
What is the significance of the tail of epididymis?
Knowing its location is meaningful because it is often palpated to determine its breeding soundness
Epididymis tail location on a bull
ventral as the testis are orientated pointing down
epididymis tail ltx in ram
Stallion epididymis tail location
Boar epididymis
Epididymis tail ltx in dog
epididymis tail Ltx in a tom
What are the components of the excurrent duct system
Rete testis —> Efferent duct —> Epididymis —> Vas deferens
Explain the relation between the efferent ducts and the epididymis duct
There are multiple efferent ducts which merge into the epididymis duct
Explain the relation between the efferent ducts and the epididymis duct
There are multiple efferent ducts which merge into the epididymis duct
The two cell types of the epithelium of the epithelium
Cuboidal epithelial cells
Columnar epithelial cells (ciliated)
There is also smooth muscle present
How is the sperm propelled in the epididymis?
The Cilla on columnar cells and the contraction of smooth muscle
Explain the histology of epididymal structure
Epididymis epithelium
Has sterocillia on the tall pseudostratified columnar epithelium - this assist with locomotion.
Explain the progression of the layers of epididymis as you go down to different parts of the epididymal structure
Goes form head to tail
decreasing epithelial heigh
Increase smooth muscle
initial segment
caput (head)
Corpus (body)
Cauda ( tail)
How to not mistake the epididymis for testis
Testies
epithelium has lots of different cells and is quite thick as it is full of sperm developing in different stages
Lined by flat myoid cells, a single layer
High density of tubules
Epididymis Epithelium is columnar Cilia Smooth muscle layer Fewer, large tubules
Vas deferenes structure
The vas deferens structure
pseudostratified columnar epithelium
Is surrounded by two thick layers of smooth muscle layers ( inner is circular, outer longitudinal)
Basic functions of the epididymis (3)
Sperm are produced in the testes and stored in the epididymis
Sperm maturation
sperm immature in the head (caput) and body (corpus)
Fully mature in the tail (cauda)
Transport
