The testicular artery (the male
gonadal artery
The term gonadal artery is a generic term for a paired artery, with one arising from the abdominal aorta for each gonad. Specifically, it can refer to:
* the testicular artery in males
* the ovarian artery
The ovarian artery is an artery that su ...
, also called the internal spermatic arteries in older texts) is a branch of the
abdominal aorta that supplies blood to the
testis
A testicle or testis (plural testes) is the male reproductive gland or gonad in all bilaterians, including humans. It is homologous to the female ovary. The functions of the testes are to produce both sperm and androgens, primarily testoste ...
. It is a paired
artery
An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are the p ...
, with one for each of the testes.
It is the male equivalent of the
ovarian artery
The ovarian artery is an artery that supplies oxygenated blood to the ovary in females. It arises from the abdominal aorta below the renal artery. It can be found within the suspensory ligament of the ovary, anterior to the ovarian vein and ureter ...
. Because the testis is found in a different location than that of its female equivalent, it has a different course than the ovarian artery.
They are two slender vessels of considerable length, and arise from the front of the
aorta
The aorta ( ) is the main and largest artery in the human body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it splits into two smaller arteries (the common iliac arteries). The aorta distributes ...
a little below the
renal arteries
The renal arteries are paired arteries that supply the kidneys with blood. Each is directed across the crus of the diaphragm, so as to form nearly a right angle.
The renal arteries carry a large portion of total blood flow to the kidneys. Up to ...
.
Each passes obliquely downward and lateralward behind the
peritoneum
The peritoneum is the serous membrane forming the lining of the abdominal cavity or coelom in amniotes and some invertebrates, such as annelids. It covers most of the intra-abdominal (or coelomic) organs, and is composed of a layer of mesothel ...
, resting on the
Psoas major
The psoas major ( or ; from grc, ψόᾱ, psóā, muscles of the loins) is a long fusiform muscle located in the lateral lumbar region between the vertebral column and the brim of the lesser pelvis. It joins the iliacus muscle to form the il ...
, the right lying in front of the
inferior vena cava
The inferior vena cava is a large vein that carries the deoxygenated blood from the lower and middle body into the right atrium of the heart. It is formed by the joining of the right and the left common iliac veins, usually at the level of the ...
and behind the
middle colic
The middle colic artery is an artery of the abdomen; a branch of the superior mesenteric artery distributed to parts of the ascending and transverse colon. It usually divides into two terminal branches - a left one and a right one - which go on ...
and
ileocolic In many Animalia, including humans, an ileocolic structure or problem is something that concerns the region of the gastrointestinal tract from the ileum to the colon. In Animalia that have ceca, the ileocecal region is a subset of the ileocolic r ...
arteries and the terminal part of the
ileum
The ileum () is the final section of the small intestine in most higher vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. In fish, the divisions of the small intestine are not as clear and the terms posterior intestine or distal intestine m ...
, the left behind the
left colic
The left colic artery is a branch of the inferior mesenteric artery distributed to the descending colon, and left part of the transverse colon. It ends by dividing into an ascending branch and a descending branch; the terminal branches of the two ...
and
sigmoid arteries
The sigmoid arteries are 2-5 branches of the inferior mesenteric artery that are distributed to the distal descending colon and the sigmoid colon.
Anatomy
Course and relations
The sigmoid arteries course obliquely inferior-ward and to the lef ...
and the
iliac colon
The iliac colon is the portion of the descending colon which is situated within the left iliac fossa (between the crest of the left ilium, and the pelvic brim). It is about 12 to 15 cm long.
It curves inferior-ward and medial-ward anterior o ...
.
Each crosses obliquely over the ureter and the lower part of the external iliac artery to reach the
abdominal inguinal ring
The inguinal canals are the two passages in the anterior abdominal wall of humans and animals which in males convey the spermatic cords and in females the round ligament of the uterus. The inguinal canals are larger and more prominent in males. Th ...
, through which it passes, and accompanies the other constituents of the
spermatic cord
The spermatic cord is the cord-like structure in males formed by the vas deferens (''ductus deferens'') and surrounding tissue that runs from the deep inguinal ring down to each testicle. Its serosal covering, the tunica vaginalis, is an extension ...
along the
inguinal canal
The inguinal canals are the two passages in the anterior abdominal wall of humans and animals which in males convey the spermatic cords and in females the round ligament of the uterus. The inguinal canals are larger and more prominent in males. T ...
to the
scrotum
The scrotum or scrotal sac is an anatomical male reproductive structure located at the base of the penis that consists of a suspended dual-chambered sac of skin and smooth muscle. It is present in most terrestrial male mammals. The scrotum con ...
, where it becomes