Male anat - Spermatic cord

Question 1

List the spermatic cord components

Answer 1

Muscles
Blood vessels
Lymphatics
Nerves
Connective tissue
Vas deferens ( aka ductus deferens)

Question 2

The major 2 Functions of the spermatic cord

Answer 2

Connect the testes to blood, lymph and nerve supplies
Regulate testicular temperature

Question 3

At what temperature is sperm produced?

Answer 3

Testes myst be maintained 4-6C below body temp for sperm to be produced

Question 4

Answer 4

Question 5

Cremaster muscle Lx and Fx

Answer 5

Sit on the outside of the parietal vaginal tunic
Skeletal muscle continuous with abdominal oblique
Not capable of sustained contrails

Fx - support of weight of testes
some role in raise/lower the testes
Critical role- promote blood flow

Question 6

Answer 6

Example of cremaster muscle

Question 7

Answer 7

Canine

One on the bottom has had the parietal vaginal tunic removed which includes the cremaster muscle

Cremaster muscle is pointed out as SC

Question 8

Answer 8

Of a Tom which do not have a cremaster muscle, instead on the SC is the levator scroti muscle

Question 9

Answer 9

The internal cremated muscle
sits inside the PVT
smooth muscle
Very very small but generally not mentioned as it very small

Question 10

Answer 10

A- pampinifrom plexus - a intricate mesh of testicular veins that surrounds the testicular artery
then after it funnels to a singular vein which joins the caudal vena cava

B- testicular artery

C- Deferential artery

D- Cremasteric artery

The arteries are branches from the abdominal aorta

Question 11

Answer 11

Allows “counter-current heat exchange to regulate testicualr temp

Question 12

List and explain the nerves of the spermatic cord

Answer 12

1- genital branch the genitofemoral nerve
—> Lx = runs on the surface of cremaster muscle

2- Testicular sympathetic nerves

Question 13

List and explain the lymphatic vessels of the spermatic cord

Answer 13

Drain to deep inguinal lymph node

Question 14

Vas deferens Fx Stx Lx

Answer 14

Fx - transport of sperm from tail of epididymis to ejector duct

Stx - epithelium + inner circular smooth + outer longitudinal.

Lx - contained in spermatic cord

Question 15

Describe the macroscopic structure of the inguinal canal

Answer 15

The inguinal canal is a tube that travels through from the testes to the peritoneal cavity
Anterior wall is the aponeurosis of the internal and external online muscle
Posterior wall is the transversalis fascia and conjoint tendon
Floor is the superior surface of the inguinal ligament
Roof is internal oblique and transverses abdominis

Question 16

Answer 16

Deep (abdominal)

Superficial aka external (pre-scrotal)

Question 17

Explain the relation between testis and the inguinal canal

Answer 17

Testes pass through the canal
In mature males the inguinal canal contain the proximal part of the spermatic cord
THERE ARE TWO INGUINAL CANALS on per testis

Question 18

Issues with the inguinal canal

Answer 18

Vaginal tunic cavity is continuous with the inguinal canal

Question 19

Answer 19

Question 20

functions of the external cremaster muscle (muscle of the spermatic cord)

Answer 20

• Support weight of testes
• Raise/lower testes
• Promote blood flow

Question 21

Inguinal canal - what is the function of this canal

Answer 21

allows the cord to enter the peritoneal cavity through the abdominal muscles

• two inguinal canals (one per testes)

Question 22

Putting it all together - from where the sperm is produced to it travelling to the vas deferens (think about the process as a WHOLE)

Answer 22

The sperm are produced in the testes → then head up to the epididymis → once released by the epididymis they will travel through the vas deferens and will end up going through the spermatic cord

• In the spermatic cord we have support by the cremaster muscle as well as a lot of vasculature, and one we head through this we have to pass through the superficial inguinal ring and the deep inguinal ring as well, which is the end of the spermatic cord
• from here the vas deferens will continue on its way.

Question 23

The sperm cord does NOT contain:

• epididymis
• cremaster muscle
• vas deferens

Answer 23

the epididymis

• the spermatic cord contains the vas deferens, the pampiniform plexus and the cremaster muscle