Sperm made in the testis go into the head (caput) of the epididymis, go through the body (corpus) and stop at the tail (cauda), where they are stored. When sperm are first made and travel to the head, they are not yet ready to be ejaculated. They cannot swim or fertilize an egg. By the time they reach the tail, the sperm can fertilize an egg. The sperm are transferred to the Seminal visicle through the vas deferens. The sperm can not swim yet, so muscle contractions push the sperm to the seminal vesicle where final development is finished. .[1]
When the sperm are ejaculated, they move through the tail of the epididymis. There are so many sperm that they cannot swim, but use peristalsis from muscles in the vas deferens.
Disease
An injury or infection of the epididymis causes epididymitis, a painful condition that can take months to heal. Sometimes the testicle has to be removed. There does not seem to be any single cause, or treatment for this condition. Some doctors treat it with antibiotics, some take a "wait and see" attitude. At times just one testicle is affected and at others, both.
Removal
Sometimes males get their epididymis removed either as a form of birth control or for other reasons (such as for post-vasectomy pain syndrome) in a surgery known as an epididymectomy.[2][3][4]
Pictures
Male reproductive system.
Testis
Schematic drawing of a cross-section through the vaginal process.
↑Malone, Erin; DVM; PhD; Norton, Elaine; PhD, D. V. M.; Dobbs, Erica; DVM; Ezzo, Ashley; DVM. Large Animal Surgery - Supplemental Notes. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing – via open.lib.umn.edu.
