THE ABDOMEN 



683 



Arterial Supply of the Testis and Epididymis. — The testis derives 

 its arterial supply from the testicular branch of the spermatic 

 (which enters the posterior border of the organ), and the epidid\Tnis 

 derives its supply from the epidid\Tnal branch of the spermatic, 

 which vessel arises from the abdominal aorta about i inch below 

 the renal artery. The globus minor of the epidid\-mis also receives 

 a few twigs from the deferential artery, which is usually a branch 

 of the superior vesical from the internal iliac. 



The veins of the testis issue at the upper part of the posterior 

 border, and, along with those of the epididjTnis, enter the spermatic 

 cord, where they form the pampiniform plexus. The right sper- 

 matic vein, in which the right plexus ultimately ends, opens 

 directly into the inferior vena cava, and the left into the left renal 

 vein. 



Lymphatics. — ^These ascend in the spermatic cord, and accompany 

 the spermatic vessels as high as the lateral and median groups of 

 lumbar glands in which they terminate. 



Nerve-supply. — ^The spermatic plexus of the s\Tnpathetic system 

 which derives its fibres from the aortic and renal plexuses. 



The testis is homologous to the ovary of the female (testis 

 muliebris) . 



General Structure of the Testis and Epididymis.— The testis is an aggregation 

 of seminiferous tubules collected into lobules, which are encased within a 

 capsule called the tunica albugmea. This tunic is a dense, bluish white, in- 

 elastic membrane, composed of bundles of fibrous tissue. Its outer surface is 

 closely covered by the tunica 



Wall of Sciotum 



vaginalis testis . I ts inner sur - 

 face is invested by a copious 

 vascular network, known as 

 the tunica vasculosa of Cooper. 

 At the posterior border of the 

 testis the tunica albuginea 

 passes for a certciin distance 

 into the interior, this inflec- 

 tion being called the corpus 

 Highmorianum, or mediasti- 

 num testis. This mediastinum 

 extends into the organ for 

 one-fourth of its antero-pos- 

 terior measurement, and from 

 its sides and anterior border 

 a number of trabeculae, con- 

 taining plain muscular tissue, 

 pass off, which extend in 

 various directions as far as 

 the inner surface of the tunica 

 albuginea, to which they are 



Tunica Vaginalis Scroti ' 

 _ Tunica Vaginalis Testis 



.Tunica Albuginea 

 bulus Testis 



_ Mediastinum Testis 



Digital Fossa 

 Hpididymis 



- . Spermatic .-Vrtery 



Vas Deferens ; Spermatic Veins 

 Artery of the Vas Deferens 



Fig. 295. — Diagram showing a Transverse 

 Section of the Testis and Scrotum. 



attached. By means of these 

 the interior of the testis is 



mapped out into a number of loculi. the trabeculae which enclose them contain- 

 ing the branches of the spermatic arterj- as they make their way to the tunica 

 vasculosa. These compartments contain the seminiferous tubules collected 

 into bundles, called the lobuli testis, which vary in number from 300 to 400. 

 Each lobule contains from t^vo to four tubules, and is conical, the base 

 being directed towards the circumference of the testis and the apex 



