what is Epididymis? what is the function of epididymis?
Answers
In case of male human reproductive system.....
the testes contain a mass of sperm producing tubes. These tubes join to form the highly coiled Epididymis found on the upper side of the testes'.
The epididymis is a tube that connects a testicle to a vas deferens in the male reproductive system. It is present in all male reptiles, birds, and mammals. It is a single, narrow, tightly-coiled tube in adult humans, 6 to 7 meters (20 to 23 ft) in length [1] connecting the efferent ducts from the rear of each testicle to its vas deferens.
Spermatozoa formed in the testis enter the caput epididymis, progress to the corpus, and finally reach the cauda region, where they are stored. Sperm entering the caput epididymis are incomplete—they lack the ability to swim forward (motility) and to fertilize an egg. Epididymal transit takes 2-3 days in humans (longer in other species), but the sperm can be stored in the cauda for 2–3 days. During their transit in the epididymis, sperm undergo maturation processes necessary for them to acquire motility and fertility.[10] Final maturation (capacitation) is completed in the female reproductive tract.
The epididymis secretes an intraluminal environment that suppresses sperm motility until ejaculation.
During ejaculation, sperm flow from the cauda epididymis (which functions as a storage reservoir) into the vas deferens where they are propelled by the peristaltic action of muscle layers in the wall of the vas deferens, and are mixed with the diluting fluids of the prostate, seminal vesicles, and other accessory glands prior to ejaculation (forming semen).