What exactly is a scrotum?

Answer 1

The scrotum is the fleshy sac that surrounds the testicles, otherwise known as the nutsack.

Answer 2

It is the sack that holds the testicles on a male mammal. On humans it is found beneath the penis.

Embryologically, we all start out female in body form. Early in development, however, in fetuses destined to be males testosterone starts to be made. Under the influence of this hormone, the female body is converted into a male body.

In the genitals, this means that the clitoris grows and becomes the glans of the penis, the labia minora fuse to become the shaft of the penis, and the labia majora fuse to become the scrotum. Internally, the tissues that would have become ovaries instead become testicles, and they descend through the abdominal wall into the scrotum made from the fused labia majora. The two testicles are housed in separate, unconnected compartments and are each anchored to the bottom of the scrotum by a structure known as the gubernaculum. The left testis hangs lower than the right (Home experiment: ask all the males you know which testicle is lower and you can confirm this data!).

As the testicles pass through the abdominal muscles, some of the muscles descend with them. These form the cremaster muscles. Their primary functions involve raising and lowering the testis and scrotum to maintain a constant temperature a few degrees below normal body temperature (this is necessary for sperm production), and also raising the testis just prior to orgasm during coitis or other sexual activities (the cremasteric reflex). Since these muscles are derived from the abdominal muscles and are striated voluntary muscle, men can also learn to raise their testis at will by contracting these muscles (Home experiment: ask all the males you know if they have learned to contract their cremaster muscles. What percent of men have learned this?).

The site at which the testicles crossed the abdominal wall remains somewhat weakened and can be a site of muscle tears known as hernias. In severe cases, the intestines can protrude from the abdomen into the scrotum. Doctors check for hernias in this region by pressing against the lower abdomen and asking the subject to cough. This cough is known as a valsalva maneuver. In females, although the gonads do not descend through the abdominal wall, there is a structure known as the round ligament of the uterus which projects through the same site. Consequently, females can experience abdominal hernias in the same location. (Home experiment: the site at which the testis and round ligament pass through the abdominal wall can be felt on the lower abdomen. It is known as the external inguinal ring. Can you find yours? Hint: use the links to Gray's Anatomy below, or other web resources, to find the place to palpate.)

At puberty, the scrotum develops a covering of course hair. This reflects the origin of the organ: the labia majora - from which the scrotum originally developed - of adult females are similarly covered with hair. In contrast, the penile shaft and glans are both hairless, as are the homologous labia minora and clitoris of females.

In addition to hernias, scrota are susceptible to a number of medical conditions such as jock itch (a fungal infection), or the time my friend fell on a wire on the top of a chain link fence while he was climbing over to skate in someones pool and poked a hole in his. (Home experiment: ask the males you know if they have ever had a reason to visit a doctor because of their scrotum. Is this organ very susceptible to disease or injury?)

If you have any more questions about the scrotum, try the following links, or ask your parents.

Answer 3

u get some colde jelly stuff put on it, and they use the same thing as they do on pregnent women to see the baby, so they can see inside of ur scrotum

Answer 4

scro·tum (skrō'təm)
n., pl. -tums or scro·ta (-tə).

The musculocutaneous sac that encloses the testes and is formed of skin, a network of nonstriated muscular fibers, cremasteric fascia, the cremaster muscle, and the serous coverings of the testes and epididymides.

Answer 5

The loose wrinkly sack the males testicles are hiding in.

Answer 6

IT IS A THIN WALLED SOFT MUSCULAR POUCH THAT HOLDS THE TESTES.

Answer 7

Why do you want to Know? LOL

Answer 8

i wish i didnt know

Answer 9

ehat r u like 7? winni the poo