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Epididymis

Notes

The epididymis is a long (4 - 5 meters), highly coiled tube, along which sperm mature as they move from the testis to the vas deferens.  This tube is surrounded by smooth muscle and embedded within a loose, vascular stroma.  Smooth muscle, inconspicuous in this image, becomes thicker as the duct approaches the vas.

The lumen of the epididymal duct contains spermatozoa and is lined by a pseudostratified columnar epithelium with apical stereocilia.

The appearance of the epididymis should be compared with that of testis, which contains smaller, more numerous tubules lined by a more complex epithelium.


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Comments and questions: dgking@siu.edu

SIUC / School of Medicine / Anatomy / David King

https://histology.siu.edu/erg/RE030b.htm
Last updated:  19 May 2022 / dgk