The Sex Organs - The Male Sex Organs

The External Sex Organs: The Scrotum

The scrotum is a bag or pouch of skin which contains the testicles, and which hangs between the thighs at the base of the penis. The skin of the scrotum is comparatively dark and contains many sweat glands. Inside the scrotum there are two separate compartments, each of which contains one testicle and its spermatic cord which leads upward into the abdominal cavity. Part of this spermatic cord is a thin tube through which the sperm travels - the vas deferens. It is this vas deferens that is cut in a vasectomy. The spermatic cord also contains blood vessels, nerves, and muscles. In response to certain stimuli, especially cold temperatures, these muscles contract and pull the testicle closer to the abdomen. At the same time, the skin of the scrotum will also contract and appear thick and wrinkled. Ordinarily, however, the scrotum hangs loose, and its skin looks thin and smooth. In a way the scrotum acts like a thermostat, trying to provide an even temperature for the continuous production of sperm which is taking place inside the testicles. This temperature has to be slightly lower than that of the rest of the body.