Scrotum Flashcards
what is the scrotum
The scrotum is a fibromuscular cutaneous sac, located between the penis and anus. It is dual-chambered, forming an expansion of the perineum.
what is the embryological development of th scrotum
Embryologically, the scrotum is derived from the paired genital swellings. During development, the genital swellings fuse in the midline – in the adult this fusion is marked by the scrotal raphe. The scrotum is biologically homologous to the labia majora.
contents of teh scroten
The scrotum contains three major (paired) structures:
Testis – the site of sperm production.
Epididymis – situated at the head of each testicle. It functions as a storage reservoir for sperm.
Spermatic cord – a collection of muscle fibres, vessels, nerves and ducts that run to and from the testes.
There are also muscle fibres located within the scrotum. The dartos muscle is a sheet of smooth muscle, situated immediately underneath the skin. It acts to help regulate the temperature of the scrotum, by wrinkling the skin – this decreases surface area, reducing heat loss.
difference between the bloddy suply of the testes vs scrotum
The scrotum receives neurovascular supply from the nearby vessels and nerves. This is in contrast to the testes – which carry their vessels, nerves and lymph drainage from the abdomen during their development.
