Article
Article
Testis
Article By:
Hedger, Mark Institute of Reproduction and Development, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.
Roosen-Runge, Edward C. Department of Biological Structure, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
Lindner, Hans R. Department of Biodynamics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
Last reviewed:January 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.686100
The organ of sperm production. In addition, the testis (testicle) is an organ of endocrine secretion in which male hormones (androgens) are elaborated. In the higher vertebrates (reptiles, birds, and mammals), the testes are paired and either ovoid or elongated in shape. In mammals, the testes are usually ovoid or round. In many species (for example, humans) they are suspended in a pouch (scrotum) outside the main body cavity; in other species they are found in such a pouch only at the reproductive season; in still others the testicles are permanently located in the abdomen (for example, in whales and bats).
The content above is only an excerpt.
About AccessScience
AccessScience provides the most accurate and trustworthy scientific information available.
Recognized as an award-winning gateway to scientific knowledge, AccessScience is an amazing online resource that contains high-quality reference material written specifically for students. Contributors include more than 10,000 highly qualified scientists and 46 Nobel Prize winners.
MORE THAN 8700 articles covering all major scientific disciplines and encompassing the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology and McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology
115,000-PLUS definitions from the McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms
3000 biographies of notable scientific figures
MORE THAN 19,000 downloadable images and animations illustrating key topics
ENGAGING VIDEOS highlighting the life and work of award-winning scientists
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY and additional readings to guide students to deeper understanding and research
LINKS TO CITABLE LITERATURE help students expand their knowledge using primary sources of information
