The place of the testicles in the scrotum, a bag of skin located behind the penis, is due to the temperature which would be lower than inside the body.
- The testicles are located in the scrotum, a bursa of skin that is behind the penis.
- This location allows a lower temperature than inside the body.
- Some are affected by cryptorchidism, an abnormality of the male genital tract in which one or two testicles do not descend into the scrotum.
4 to 5 centimeters in length and 2 to 3 centimeters in thickness… Despite their small size, the testicles are essential for reproduction. It is in fact in these two organs that spermatogenesis, the production of sperm, takes place.
The testicles in the scrotum
This reproductive function requires them to be located outside the body, in the scrotum. It is a small bag of skin behind the penis. But how can we explain such a particular location?
2 to 4% of newborns are affected by cryptorchidism, depending on health insurance. This is an abnormality of the male reproductive system which manifests itself by the fact that one or two testicles do not descend into the scrotum.
If after one year the testicle(s) have not descended naturally, “the disease becomes definitive and requires treatment to avoid the risk of complications.” This is usually a surgical procedure called orchidopexy, which involves positioning the testicle in the bursa. This is generally successful: for only 4% of casesthe testicle rises again and a new intervention is necessary.
Optimal temperature for sperm production
One of the major complications of cryptorchidism is infertility. Indeed, still according to health insurance“If the testicle is not in the bursa, it is not at the right temperature (i.e. 33-34°C) to properly produce sperm. This can lead to male infertility which can then be due either to a low quantity or even absence of sperm in the semen, or to the presence of abnormal sperm.”
So that’s the answer to the question: the testicles are located in the scrotum to be at a temperature lower than that of the body – around 37°C – and thus be able to produce sperm correctly.
The other function of the testicles is the secretion of testosterone, the male sex hormone. This makes it possible to regulate libido and erectile function, which are also necessary for reproduction.
