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Comprensione dell’anatomia e delle funzioni normali

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Riassunto

Il testicolo ha due funzioni essenziali: la produzione dei gameti maschili, gli spermatozoi, in un processo chiamato la spermatogenesi e la sintesi e la liberazione controllata di testosterone come principale androgeno, denominata la steroidogenesi. I testicoli sono organi pari di forma ovale sospesi fuori dalla cavità pelvica addominale, nella quale la temperatura è 2–3 °C sotto quella corporea centrale di 37 °C. Lo sviluppo degli spermatozoi può essere normale solo a questa temperatura. Il plesso venoso pampiniforme contribuisce al raffreddamento perché si svolge intorno all’arteria testicolare per assorbire il calore del sangue arterioso, raffreddandolo così prima che penetri nella gonade. Prima della nascita, i testicoli scendono dalla cavità addominale, dove si sviluppano, nello scroto attraverso il canale inguinale. Durante il loro percorso, si ricoprono di un rivestimento proveniente dagli strati sierosi, muscolari e fibrosi delle pareti addominali e dello scroto. Ogni testicolo è circondato da una capsula fibrosa biancastra dura, la tunica albuginea, che contiene cellule muscolari lisce. Sulla superficie dorsale, la tunica albuginea si ispessisce e forma il mediastino testicolare. Qui, il sangue e i vasi linfatici, i nervi e i dotti deferenti che drenano gli spermatozoi all’epididimo entrano nelle gonadi o ne escono.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, JustusLiebig University Giessen, Aulweg 123, 35385, Giessen, Germany

    Andreas Meinhardt

  2. Fertility Centre, Malmö University Hospital, 20502, Malmö, Sweden

    Aleksander Giwercman

  3. Department of Molecular Medicine, CMM 02, Karolinska Hospital, 17176, Stockholm, Sweden

    Agneta Nordenskjöld

  4. Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Justus Liebig University, Frankfurterstr. 98, 35392, Giessen, Germany

    Martin Bergmann

  5. Pyrah Department of Urology, St. James University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds, LS9 7TF, UK

    Omer Baldo & Ian Eardley

  6. Centre for Medical and Urological Andrology and Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Ghent 6K12IE, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Frank Comhaire & Ahmed Mahmoud

  7. Centre of Dermatology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University, Gaffkystr. 14, 35385, Giessen, Germany

    Hans-Christian Schuppe

  8. Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Dutch-speaking Brussels, Free University Hospital, 101, Laarbeeklaan, 1090, Brussels, Belgium

    Herman J. Tournaye

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  1. Andreas Meinhardt
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  2. Aleksander Giwercman
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  10. Herman J. Tournaye
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Dermatology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany

    Wolf-Bernhard Schill

  2. Center for Medical and Urological Andrology and Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium

    Frank Comhaire

  3. Department of Oncology, University of Edinburgh Human Genetics Building, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

    Timothy B. Hargreave

  4. Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medica, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Roma, Italy

    Andrea Lenzi MD (Professore Ordinario di Endocrinologia Direttore, Presidente della Società Italiana di Andrologia e Medicina della Sessualità) (Professore Ordinario di Endocrinologia Direttore, Presidente della Società Italiana di Andrologia e Medicina della Sessualità)

  5. Unità di Fisiopatologia della Riproduzione, Andrologia e Diagnosi Endocrinologiche Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medica, “Sapienza” Università di Roma, Roma, Italy

    Andrea M. Isidori MD, PhD (Ricercatore in Endocrinologia) (Ricercatore in Endocrinologia)

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Meinhardt, A. et al. (2010). Comprensione dell’anatomia e delle funzioni normali. In: Schill, WB., Comhaire, F., Hargreave, T.B., Lenzi, A., Isidori, A.M. (eds) Andrologia clinica. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-1487-9_18

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