Rete testis
Encyclopedia
Rete testis is an anastomosing
network of delicate tubule
s located in the hilum of the testicle
(mediastinum testis
) that carries sperm
from the seminiferous tubules
to the vasa efferentia.
In the area of the rete testis, the sperm are concentrated as fluid is reabsorbed. If this does not occur, the sperm that enter the epididymis are not concentrated, resulting in
infertility
.
Rete tubular ectasia
is a disorder of the rete testis in which many benign cysts are present.
, the testis is developed in much the same way as the ovary
, originating from mesothelium
as well as mesonephros
. Like the ovary, in its earliest stages it consists of a central mass covered by a surface epithelium. In the central mass, a series of cords appear. These cords run together toward the future hilum
and form a network that ultimately becomes the rete testis.
Anastomosis
An anastomosis is the reconnection of two streams that previously branched out, such as blood vessels or leaf veins. The term is used in medicine, biology, mycology and geology....
network of delicate tubule
Tubule
A tubule is a very small tube or fistular structure.A system of surface-connected membranes in muscle that enables a nerve impulse to travel to the interior of the muscle fibre.In anatomy, a tubule is a minute tube lined with glandular epithelium....
s located in the hilum of the testicle
Testicle
The testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
(mediastinum testis
Mediastinum testis
The mediastinum testis is a network of fibrous connective tissue that extends from the upper to near the lower extremity of the testis, and is wider above than below....
) that carries sperm
Spermatozoon
A spermatozoon is a motile sperm cell, or moving form of the haploid cell that is the male gamete. A spermatozoon joins an ovum to form a zygote...
from the seminiferous tubules
Seminiferous tubules
Seminiferous tubules are located in the testes, and are the specific location of meiosis, and the subsequent creation of gametes, namely spermatozoa....
to the vasa efferentia.
In the area of the rete testis, the sperm are concentrated as fluid is reabsorbed. If this does not occur, the sperm that enter the epididymis are not concentrated, resulting in
infertility
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
.
Rete tubular ectasia
Rete tubular ectasia
Rete tubular ectasia is a benign condition, usually found in older men, involving numerous small tubular cystic structures within the rete testis.-Diagnosis:...
is a disorder of the rete testis in which many benign cysts are present.
Development
In the development of the urinary and reproductive organsDevelopment of the urinary and reproductive organs
The development of the urinary and reproductive organs as a part of the prenatal development, concerns the urinary system and sex organs. The latter is a part of the stages of sexual differentiation....
, the testis is developed in much the same way as the ovary
Ovary
The ovary is an ovum-producing reproductive organ, often found in pairs as part of the vertebrate female reproductive system. Ovaries in anatomically female individuals are analogous to testes in anatomically male individuals, in that they are both gonads and endocrine glands.-Human anatomy:Ovaries...
, originating from mesothelium
Mesothelium
The mesothelium is a membrane that forms the lining of several body cavities: the pleura , peritoneum and pericardium . Mesothelial tissue also surrounds the male internal reproductive organs and covers the internal reproductive organs of women...
as well as mesonephros
Mesonephros
The mesonephros is one of three excretory organs that develop in vertebrates. It serves as the main excretory organ of aquatic vertebrates and as a temporary kidney in reptiles, birds, and mammals. The mesonephros is included in the Wolffian body after Caspar Friedrich Wolff who described it in 1759...
. Like the ovary, in its earliest stages it consists of a central mass covered by a surface epithelium. In the central mass, a series of cords appear. These cords run together toward the future hilum
Hilum (anatomy)
In human anatomy, the hilum is a depression or fissure where structures such as blood vessels and nerves enter an organ.-Examples of hila:* Hilum of kidney, admits the renal artery, vein, ureter, and nerves...
and form a network that ultimately becomes the rete testis.
