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The efferent ducts (or efferent ductules or ductuli efferentes) connect the rete testis
Rete testis

Rete testis is an anastomosis network of delicate tubules located in the hilum of the testicle that carries spermatozoon from the seminiferous tubules to the vasa efferentia....
 with the initial section of the epididymis
Epididymis

The epididymis is part of the male reproductive system and is present in all male mammals. It is a narrow, tightly-coiled tube connecting the efferent ducts from the rear of each testicle to its vas deferens....
.

There are two basic designs for efferent ductule structure:

The ductuli are unilaminar and composed of columnar ciliated and non-ciliated (absorptive) cells. The ciliated cells serve to stir the luminal fluids, possibly to help ensure homogeneous absorption of water from the fluid produced by the testis, which results in an increase in the concentration of luminal sperm.






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The efferent ducts (or efferent ductules or ductuli efferentes) connect the rete testis
Rete testis

Rete testis is an anastomosis network of delicate tubules located in the hilum of the testicle that carries spermatozoon from the seminiferous tubules to the vasa efferentia....
 with the initial section of the epididymis
Epididymis

The epididymis is part of the male reproductive system and is present in all male mammals. It is a narrow, tightly-coiled tube connecting the efferent ducts from the rear of each testicle to its vas deferens....
.

There are two basic designs for efferent ductule structure:
  • a) multiple entries into the epididymis, as seen in most large mammals. In human
    Human

    A human being, also human or man, is a member of a species of bipedalism primates in the family Hominidae . Mitochondrial DNA evidence indicates that modern humans originated in east Africa about 200,000 years ago....
    s and other large mammal
    Mammal

    Mammals are a class of vertebrate animals whose name is derived from their distinctive feature, mammary glands, with which they feed their young....
    s, there are approximately 15-20 efferent ducts, which also occupy nearly one third of the head of the epididymis.
  • b) single entry, as seen in most small animals such as rodent
    Rodent

    Rodentia is an Order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing Incisors#The_Rodent_incisor in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
    s, whereby the 3-6 ductules merge into a single small ductule prior to entering the epididymis.


The ductuli are unilaminar and composed of columnar ciliated and non-ciliated (absorptive) cells. The ciliated cells serve to stir the luminal fluids, possibly to help ensure homogeneous absorption of water from the fluid produced by the testis, which results in an increase in the concentration of luminal sperm. The epithelium is surrounded by a band of smooth muscle
Smooth muscle

Smooth muscle is a type of non-striated muscle, found within the tunica media layer of large and small arteries and veins, the urinary bladder, uterus, male and female reproductive tracts, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, the ciliary muscle, and iris of the eye....
 that helps to propel the sperm toward the epididymis.

Additional images


External links

- "Mammal, testis overview"