
The scrotum is a sac of skin and muscle that hangs in front of the pelvis, between the legs. It is divided into two halves by the scrotal septum. The scrotum contains three major paired structures: the testis, the epididymis, and the spermatic cord. The testis is the site of sperm production, while the epididymis is situated at the head of each testicle and functions as a storage reservoir for sperm. The spermatic cord is a collection of muscle fibres, vessels, nerves, and ducts that run to and from the testes. In addition to these structures, there are also muscle fibres located within the scrotum itself, including the dartos muscle and the cremaster muscle. These muscles play a crucial role in regulating the temperature of the scrotum and the testicles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Does the scrotum have muscles? | Yes |
| What type of muscle is the scrotum made of? | Smooth muscle |
| What is the function of the scrotum's muscle? | To regulate the temperature of the testicles |
| Where is the scrotum's muscle located? | Underneath the skin |
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What You'll Learn
- The dartos muscle is a sheet of smooth muscle that helps regulate the temperature of the scrotum
- The cremaster muscle is another muscle inside the scrotum
- The scrotum is composed of skin and muscle
- The scrotum is divided into two compartments by the scrotal septum
- The scrotum contains the spermatic cord, which is made up of muscle fibres, vessels, nerves and ducts

The dartos muscle is a sheet of smooth muscle that helps regulate the temperature of the scrotum
The scrotum is a thin external sac that is located under the penis and is composed of skin and muscle. The scrotum contains three major (paired) structures: the testis, the epididymis, and the spermatic cord. The testis is the site of sperm production, the epididymis is situated at the head of each testicle and functions as a storage reservoir for sperm, and the spermatic cord is a collection of muscle fibres, vessels, nerves, and ducts that run to and from the testes.
The dartos muscle, or tunica dartos, is a sheet of smooth muscle that is situated immediately underneath the skin of the scrotum. It helps to regulate the temperature of the scrotum and, by extension, the testicles, by contracting to reduce the surface area of the scrotum and decrease heat loss. When the scrotum is too warm, the dartos muscle contracts, wrinkling the skin and reducing the surface area of the scrotum exposed to the environment. This contraction decreases heat loss and helps to cool the scrotum and testicles. Conversely, when the scrotum is too cool, the dartos muscle relaxes, smoothing the skin and increasing the surface area of the scrotum. This relaxation increases heat loss and helps to warm the scrotum and testicles.
The regulation of scrotal temperature is important for maintaining the ideal temperature for sperm production and storage. The scrotum may hang lower or be drawn up closer to the body depending on temperature to keep sperm at the ideal temperature. The size of the scrotum has a direct correlation with the size of the testes, and the average wall thickness of the scrotum is about 8 mm.
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The cremaster muscle is another muscle inside the scrotum
The scrotum is a thin external sac that is located under the penis and is composed of skin and muscle. The scrotum contains three major paired structures: the testis, the epididymis, and the spermatic cord. The testis is the site of sperm production, the epididymis is situated at the head of each testicle and functions as a storage reservoir for sperm, and the spermatic cord is a collection of muscle fibres, vessels, nerves, and ducts that run to and from the testes.
The scrotum also contains muscle fibres, including the dartos muscle, a sheet of smooth muscle situated immediately underneath the skin. The dartos muscle helps to regulate the temperature of the scrotum by wrinkling the skin, which decreases the surface area and reduces heat loss.
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The scrotum is composed of skin and muscle
The scrotum is a thin external sac that is located under the penis and is composed of skin and muscle. The sac is divided into two compartments by the scrotal septum, with one testicle sitting on either side. The scrotum may hang lower or be drawn up closer to the body depending on factors like temperature to keep sperm at an ideal temperature. Its size has a direct correlation with the size of the testes.
The scrotum contains three major (paired) structures: the testis, the epididymis, and the spermatic cord. The testis is the site of sperm production, while the epididymis is situated at the head of each testicle and functions as a storage reservoir for sperm. The spermatic cord is a collection of muscle fibres, vessels, nerves, and ducts that run to and from the testes.
There are also muscle fibres located within the scrotum itself. The dartos muscle, or tunica dartos, is a sheet of smooth muscle situated immediately underneath the skin. It acts to help regulate the temperature of the scrotum by wrinkling the skin, which decreases the surface area and reduces heat loss. Another muscle inside the scrotum is the cremaster muscle. There are two such muscles, one on each side, which cover the testes and the spermatic cord and reach the pelvis through the inguinal canal. The function of the cremaster muscles is to raise or lower the testicles, which helps maintain them at an appropriate temperature.
The scrotum is responsible for protecting the testes and keeping them cool. The average wall thickness of the scrotum is about 8 mm, and it has a parietal and a visceral layer. The parietal layer covers the inner aspect of the scrotal wall, while the visceral layer coats the testis and epididymis.
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The scrotum is divided into two compartments by the scrotal septum
The scrotum is a thin external sac that is located under the penis and is composed of skin and smooth muscle. The scrotum is divided into two compartments by the scrotal septum. In most men, one testicle sits on either side of the septum. It is common for one side of the scrotum to hang slightly lower than the other side. The scrotum may hang lower or be drawn up closer to the body depending on factors like temperature to keep sperm at an ideal temperature. Its size has a direct correlation with the size of the testes.
The scrotum contains three major (paired) structures: the testis, the epididymis, and the spermatic cord. The testis is the site of sperm production, the epididymis is situated at the head of each testicle and functions as a storage reservoir for sperm, and the spermatic cord is a collection of muscle fibres, vessels, nerves, and ducts that run to and from the testes.
There are also muscle fibres located within the scrotum. The dartos muscle is a sheet of smooth muscle situated immediately underneath the skin. It acts to help regulate the temperature of the scrotum by wrinkling the skin, which decreases the surface area and reduces heat loss. Another muscle inside the scrotum is the cremaster muscle. There are two such muscles, one on each side. Each muscle covers the testes and the spermatic cord and reaches the pelvis through the inguinal canal. The function of the cremaster muscles is to raise or lower the testicles, which helps maintain them at an appropriate temperature.
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The scrotum contains the spermatic cord, which is made up of muscle fibres, vessels, nerves and ducts
The scrotum is a thin external sac that is located under the penis and is composed of skin and muscle. It is divided into two compartments by the scrotal septum. The scrotum contains the spermatic cord, which is made up of muscle fibres, vessels, nerves and ducts. The dartos muscle is a sheet of smooth muscle, situated immediately underneath the skin. It acts to help regulate the temperature of the scrotum, by wrinkling the skin – this decreases surface area, reducing heat loss. The cremaster muscle is another muscle inside the scrotum. There are two such muscles, one on each side. Each muscle covers the testes and the spermatic cord and reaches the pelvis through the inguinal canal. The function of the cremaster muscles is to raise or lower the testicles, which helps maintain them at an appropriate temperature.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the scrotum is a sac of skin and muscle that hangs in front of the pelvis, between the legs.
The scrotum is made of smooth muscle.
The muscles in the scrotum help to regulate the temperature of the testicles by contracting to reduce the surface area of the scrotum and decrease heat loss. They also help to raise or lower the testicles to maintain them at an appropriate temperature.
The two muscles in the scrotum are the dartos muscle (or tunica dartos) and the cremaster muscle.











































