Spermatic fascia
Encyclopedia
The spermatic fascia is a bilayered fascia
covering the testis; both layers are derived from abdominal muscle or fascia.
Fascia
A fascia is a layer of fibrous tissue that permeates the human body. A fascia is a connective tissue that surrounds muscles, groups of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves, binding those structures together in much the same manner as plastic wrap can be used to hold the contents of sandwiches...
covering the testis; both layers are derived from abdominal muscle or fascia.
- The more superficial of these two layers, the external spermatic fasciaExternal spermatic fasciaThe external spermatic fascia is a thin membrane, prolonged downward around the surface of the spermatic cord and testis. It is separated from the dartos tunic by loose areolar tissue...
, lies deep to the skin and dartos fascia of the testes, superficial to the cremaster muscleCremaster muscle-Contraction:Its function is to raise and lower the testes in order to regulate the temperature of the testes and promote spermatogenesis. Contraction may also occur during arousal which can prevent injury to the testicles during sex....
, and is a continuation of the aponeurosisAponeurosisAponeuroses are layers of flat broad tendons. They have a shiny, whitish-silvery color, are histologically similar to tendons, and are very sparingly supplied with blood vessels and nerves. When dissected, aponeuroses are papery, and peel off by sections...
of the external oblique muscle. - The deeper internal spermatic fasciaInternal spermatic fasciaThe internal spermatic fascia is a thin layer, which loosely invests the cord; it is a continuation downward of the transversalis fascia....
is deep to the cremaster muscle, directly surrounds the spermatic cordSpermatic cordThe spermatic cord is the name given to the cord-like structure in males formed by the ductus deferens and surrounding tissue that run from the abdomen down to each testicle.-Contents of spermatic cord:...
and its contents, and is a continuation of the abdominal transversalis fasciaTransversalis fasciaThe transversalis fascia is a thin aponeurotic membrane which lies between the inner surface of the Transversus abdominis and the extraperitoneal fascia....
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