Changes

**Tunica Albuginea - A connective tissue layer containing some smooth muscle fibres. The Tunica Albuginea sends projections from the capsules into the testicular parenchyma that join up with the mediastinum of the testis forming lobules. Contraction and relaxation of the smooth muscle fibres within the Tunica Albuginea in response to Acetylcholine and Norepinephrine results in a pumping action facilitating the flow of spermatozoa through the tubules of the testes.

**Tunica Albuginea - A connective tissue layer containing some smooth muscle fibres. The Tunica Albuginea sends projections from the capsules into the testicular parenchyma that join up with the mediastinum of the testis forming lobules. Contraction and relaxation of the smooth muscle fibres within the Tunica Albuginea in response to Acetylcholine and Norepinephrine results in a pumping action facilitating the flow of spermatozoa through the tubules of the testes.

*'''Testicular Parenchyma'''

*'''Testicular Parenchyma'''

**Interstitial Leydig cells - produce testosterone.

**Interstitial Leydig cells - Produce the androgen testosterone important for supporting spermatogenesis.

**Cappilaries, Lymphatic vessels, connective tissue.

**Cappilaries, Lymphatic vessels, connective tissue.

*'''Tubular Compartment'''

*'''Tubular Compartment'''

**Seminipherous cells - highly convoluted, connect to rete tubules

**Seminipherous Tubules - Make up highly convoluted tubule network within the teste parenchyma. These seminipherous tubules connect to Rete tubules. The Seminipherous epithelium making up the tubules can be devided into two compartments seperated by junctional complexes between the somatic Sertoli cells within the epithelium:

**Developing germ cells

 

**peritubular cells

***Basal Compartment - containing spermatogonia, proliferating germ cells.

 

 

**peritubular cells - contractile cells surrounding the seminipherous tubules

==Comparative Testicular Architecture==

==Comparative Testicular Architecture==