Dorothy FarrarTesticles
Like the penis, the testicles are part of the male sex organs. As a counterpart to the female ovaries , it falls under the sex glands (gonads) and is responsible for the production of semen. This makes it an essential part of reproduction in many tissue animals that reproduce sexually.
Definition
Other terms used for the testicle are testicles or the testicle. The terminology can be traced back to Indo-European. The Old High German word “hodo” means something like “cover” or “conceal”.
The testicles, which are about the size of a plum, are among the male’s internal sex organs. Together with the epididymis, they belong to the reproductive organs. In vertebrates, the testicles develop embryonic in the abdominal cavity, but in mammals they move into the scrotum. This is visible from the outside and offers the sensitive testicles protection from external influences.
Anatomy
The testicle is three centimeters thick and wide and between four and five centimeters long. Its volume is on average twenty milliliters and it weighs up to twenty grams. The left testicle is usually lower in the scrotum and is slightly larger than the right one. The testicle is suspended from the spermatic cord, which is known in medicine as the funiculus spermaticus.
The testicle is surrounded by a covering of connective tissue , which is also called the tunica albuginea in technical jargon. Inside, it is divided into around two hundred lobules separated by walls. The so-called testicular network is made up of a number of branched channels that lie in the testicular lobules. The preliminary stages of the sperm cells , the Sertoli supporting cells, are located in these testicular tubules .
The cells between the testicular tubules are referred to as Leydig cells. These are responsible for the formation of testosterone , the male sex hormone.
The epididymis is fused with the testicle . This is about five to ten millimeters thick and is surrounded by a thin capsule. It is about five centimeters long and lies like a cap over the testicles. The epididymis is connected to the urethra via the vas deferens (ductus deferens) in the prostate . This is how the sperm formed in the testicles get out of the body of the male individual. The length of the vas deferens is between thirty and forty centimeters.
The testicular artery supplies blood to the testicle and arises in the lumbar region.
Function
As the internal sex organs, the primary task of the testicles is to produce male sperm cells. The male germ cells are transported out of the body via the vas deferens during sexual intercourse and are therefore used for reproduction. The testicles are also responsible for producing the sex hormone testosterone.
From puberty onwards , the male body produces around two hundred million germ cells a day. Each takes around two months to mature. This process is controlled by hormones and is also called spermatogenesis. During ejaculation, the sperm mix with the semen produced in the prostate and seminal vesicles before being expelled.
diseases
- Varicose veins
- Spermatozele
Diseases of the testicles should always be taken very seriously, as they can have a lasting and irreversible effect on and damage fertility. Most diseases tend to affect young men between the ages of 20 and 40.
The most common diseases include testicular inflammation, which can cause swelling , redness and pain, and testicular torsion. In testicular torsion, the spermatic cord wraps around the testicles, cutting off the blood supply. It often occurs in small children, but also increasingly in puberty.
Symptoms are sudden, severe pain radiating to the lumbar region. Vomiting can also occur. It is not uncommon for testicular problems to be associated with nausea .
Similar symptoms are also triggered by inflammation of the epididymis (epididymitis). In addition, there is the so-called varicose vein fracture (varicocele). Here, the vessels of the testicular area dilate. It is one of the most common diseases of the male genital organs, but can be completely symptom-free. It is also a major risk factor for infertility .
Similar to the woman’s uterus , the epididymis can also develop cysts, which are called spermatocele. They are usually benign and can be surgically removed if there are symptoms.
However, malignant diseases such as tumors can also occur here. Testicular cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in men at a young age. Most testicular tumors are perceived as a painless hardening. The chances of recovery are very high, the recurrence rate is rather low. Despite this, timely detection and treatment of testicular cancer is mandatory to prevent complications. As a rule, the testicles are removed on one side during therapy.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.