THE EPIDIDYMIS

The epididymis is a firm organ that is largely formed by the numerous convolutions of the single epididymal duct within a connective tissue matrix. It is attached along one of the longer borders—dorsal in the dog,

Figure 5-39 Testis (dog) (140?).

Figure 5-40 Testis (horse). 1, Head of epididymis; 2, body of epididymis; 3, pampiniform plexus.

caudomedial in the bull—of the testis and usually spreads some distance over both poles (Figure 5-40). It is conventionally divided into three parts—head, body, and tail—but these rather arbitrary divisions do not always correspond to functional distinctions.

The head (Figure 5-38Z5^,) is firmly attached to the testicular capsule. It receives the efferent ductules, which immediately or after some coiling join to form the wider epididymal duct (Figure 5-38Zd'). The body may be less completely attached to the surface of the testis, and in that case an intervening space (testicular bursa, homol­ogous with the ovarian bursa) is created (see Figure 5-41Z5). The tail is firmly attached to the testis by a liga­ment (proper ligament of the testis) and also to the parietal layer of the enveloping peritoneal sac by the ligament of the tail of the epididymis (Figure 5-41Z7,8). The tail finally tapers, and the duct emerges to continue as the deferent duct (see Figure 5-41Z4). The epididymis appears spongy in section because the coiled duct is inevitably cut across many times.