Читать книгу Sex For Dummies - Pierre Lehu A., Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer - Страница 44

Early in their life cycles, sperm are called germ cells. (In this case, I think most people would have preferred a nice, long Latin name; but rest assured, these cells have nothing to do with what we commonly associate the word germ.)

Germ cells are produced in the seminiferous tubules, which are long, spaghetti-like tubes that are connected to each other, packed into a tight ball, and surrounded by a tough membrane. This package is called — drumroll, please — a testicle. (Between these tubes are cells that produce the male hormone testosterone.) As the germ cells travel along the tubes, slowly but surely they turn into sperm.

Their metamorphosis complete, the sperm leave the testicle and head for the epididymis on their way to the vas deferens. (Now’s the time to look at Figure 2-5, and be amazed that sperm can find their way without any help from GPS.)

Illustration by Kathryn Born

FIGURE 2-5: The sperm leave the testicle and head for the epididymis and vas deferens.