The seminiferous tubules are the tightly coiled tubes inside the testis where sperm are made. Each testis contains several hundred metres of them packed into about 250 lobules. Sertoli cells lining the tubules nurse the developing sperm and form the blood-testis barrier.
| Location | Within the lobules of the testis, draining into the rete testis at the mediastinum |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Testicular plexus |
| Blood Supply | Testicular artery branches |
| Venous drainage | |
| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Produce sperm from stem cells through mitosis and meiosis, supported by Sertoli cells under the control of FSH and testosterone.
Damage to the tubules, from mumps orchitis, chemotherapy, radiation, heat or genetic conditions such as Klinefelter syndrome, reduces sperm count and can cause infertility. Testicular volume largely reflects tubular mass, so small, soft testes suggest poor sperm production. Most testicular cancers arise from germ cells within these tubules.
Reduced or absent sperm production from tubular damage or genetic causes, leading to male infertility.
Abnormal germ cells within the tubules that are the precursor of most testicular cancers.
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