Seminiferous tubules

Looks like

Hundreds of tightly coiled microscopic tubes packing each testis.

What it does

Make sperm continuously from puberty onward.

Keeping it well

Heat, smoking, anabolic steroids and testosterone supplements reduce sperm production; a testis lump needs checking.

Related conditions

• Bone metastases and spinal cord compression
• Early puberty (precocious puberty)
• Epididymitis and orchitis
• Hydrocele
• Klinefelter syndrome (XXY)
• Male hypogonadism
• Male infertility
• Mumps
• Testicular cancer
• Testicular torsion
• Undescended testis (cryptorchidism)
• Varicocele