Descent of Testis

The testes descent at the end of the fetal development, under guidance of the gubernaculum testis, into the scrotum. They are originally intra-peritoneally, and thus after descent, their tunica vaginalis is a remnant of infolded peritoneum. When the exit the abdominal cavity, they ensure the decrease of 2–5 °C in temperature, required for proper spermatogenesis. The higher temperature in the abdominal cavity only interferes with spermatogenesis and not with hormone production. At around the 8th month, the testes reach the superficial inguinal ring and lie in the scrotum at the beginning of the 9th month. As it proceeds downwards, along posterior wall of the peritoneum, inside the processus vaginalis peritonei (peritoneal evagination), which in turn forms a cavity around the testis (made of the 2 layers, parietal and visceral, of tunica vaginalis. The connection with the abdominal cavity is therefore then, normally, obliterated.

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• MOORE, Keith L – DALLEY, Arthur F. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 5. edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005. ISBN 0781736390.