Terminology Service for NFDI4Health
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epididymis

Go to external page http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/UBERON_0001301

the elongated structure connected to the posterior surface of the testis that transports, stores, and matures spermatozoa between testis and vas deferens [ http://www.informatics.jax.org/accession/pvb ]

Term info

Label

epididymis

database cross reference
Subsets

uberon_slim, efo_slim, pheno_slim

depicted by

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Illu_testis_surface.jpg

editor note

Kardong has epididymis in elasmobranch

has related synonym

Nebenhoden@de

id

UBERON:0001301

structure notes

Typically divided into three main regions. In reptiles, there is an additional canal between the testis and the head of the epididymis, which receives the various efferent ducts. This is, however, absent in all birds and mammals. The epididymis is covered by a two layered pseudostratified epithelium. The epithelium is separated by a basement membrane from the connective tissue wall which has smooth muscle cells.

taxon notes

A similar, but probably non-homologous, structure is found in cartilaginous fishes