Development of the Testis

Basic Anatomy of the Testicle
The testis (singular) or testicles (plural) is the male gonad. The word testis means "witness" in Latin, and its application to the male gonad originates from ancient Rome, men taking an oath placed one hand on their genitals (Silverthorn, 2001). The testes are contained in a pouch of skin termed the scrotum (Fig. 3a), located outside of the body because they require a temperature 2 - 3 degrees Celsius lower than the rest of the body for gametogenesis. The role of the testis is to produce sperm and masculine hormones, the androgens (e.g. Testosterone).…