Anatomy
epididymis
ep·i·did·y·mis [ ep-i-did-uh-mis ]
Subclass of:
Male Genital Organs
Etymology:
Greek epi = upon + didymoi = testicles
Didymos meant twin, and this root is used in botanical terms. The word epididymis was introduced by Herophilus.
Didymos meant twin, and this root is used in botanical terms. The word epididymis was introduced by Herophilus.
Definitions related to epididymis:
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A crescent-like structure located in the upper and posterior surfaces of the testis. It consists of the efferent ductules and the duct of the epididymis. It facilitates the maturation of sperm that is produced in the testis.NCI ThesaurusU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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A narrow, tightly-coiled tube that is attached to each of the testicles (the male sex glands that produce sperm). Sperm cells (male reproductive cells) move from the testicles into the epididymis, where they finish maturing and are stored.NCI Dictionary of Cancer TermsU.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
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Convoluted duct structure posterior to the testis where one end (head of epidydimis) receives multiple efferent ductules from the testis and then drains to a single, larger caliber duct (body and tail of epidydimis) that continuous into the ductus deferens.Foundational Model of AnatomyUniversity of Washington, 2017
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Convoluted tubule connecting the vas efferens, that comes from the seminiferous tubules of the mammalian testis, to the vas deferens; maturation and storage of sperm occur in the epididymis.CRISP ThesaurusNational Institutes of Health, 2006
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The convoluted cordlike structure attached to the posterior of the TESTIS. Epididymis consists of the head (caput), the body (corpus), and the tail (cauda). A network of ducts leaving the testis joins into a common epididymal tubule proper which provides the transport, storage, and maturation of SPERMATOZOA.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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