Penis and scrotum - Scrotum

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Penis and scrotum

Scrotum - normal

Editor: Antonio Cubilla, M.D. and Alcides Chaux, M.D. (see Author/Reviewers page)

Revised: 24 May 2010, last major update May 2010

Definition

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● Cutaneous fibromuscular sac containing testes, epididymis and distal spermatic cord

Embryology

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● Derives from genital swellings or labioscrotal folds which enlarge and fuse in midline to form scrotal sac

● Formation is mediated by 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone

Anatomic layers

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● Skin: thin, corrugated and pigmented; includes keratinized squamous epithelium with skin adnexae, dermis and scattered adipocytes, but no subcutaneous tissue; divided in half by a midline cutaneous raphe, which continues to inferior penile surface and along perineum to anus

● Dartos muscular ayer: two coherent plexuses of smooth muscle cells; contracts in cold or during sexual stimulation

● External spermatic fascia (intercrural layer of Colles’ fascia): continuation of external oblique aponeurosis

● Cremasteric muscle (cremasteric layer of Colles’ fascia): bundles of skeletal muscle, continuation of internal oblique muscle

● Internal spermatic fascia (infundibuliform layer of Colles’ fascia): partitioned in the midline, continuation of transversalis fascia, attached to tunica vaginalis

● Parietal layer of tunica vaginalis

Clinical images

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Constricted human scrotum (without hair)

with the raphe clearly exposed

Drawings

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Inguinal ring

Schematic diagrams of a cross section of the scrotal wall: 1) skin (Sk); 2) dartos (Dt); 3) external spermatic fascia (Esf); 4) cremasteric muscle (Cr); 5) internal spermatic fascia (isf). The internal spermatic fascia is attached to the monolayered tunica vaginalis (Vg).

Micro images

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Muscle bundles of the dartos are beneath Thick bundles of conspicuous smooth

the keratinized squamous epithelium muscle in the deep reticular dermis

End of Penis and scrotum > Scrotum - normal

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