This article will review the embryological development of the testicles. However, to understand the embryology of the testicles, it is essential to have a basic understanding of the normal anatomy of the testicles.
The male gonads, otherwise known as the testicles, are sex glands that have both an exocrine secretory function in the production of sperm and an endocrinological function as part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in men through the production of androgens. The normal anatomy of the testicles is that of an oval shape located in the scrotum, further separated by the scrotal septum. The length of the testis is between 3 cm to 5 cm, whereas the width is between 2 cm to 3 cm.
The consistency of normal testicles on palpation is smooth and soft. The testes are suspended superiorly by the spermatic cord and inferior to the scrotum by the scrotal ligament. During embryological development, the scrotal ligament is also known as the gubernaculum.
The tunica vaginalis is a double-layered structure that covers all of the testes apart from the posterior and superior borders, which represent the attachment of the epididymis and spermatic cord. The posterior lateral testis has a small space between the body of the epididymis and the testis. This small space is known as the sinus of the epididymis. The tunica albuginea is found deep in the tunica vaginalis. It is a thick fibrous sheath that covers the testes.
The descent of the testicles is a complex stepwise process that involves an interaction between many anatomical structures, environmental influences, regulatory hormones, and inherited genetic factors.
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