Smooth muscle cells in the testicular capsule of the horse, pig and sheep.
Smooth muscle cells are present in the tunica albuginea testis of the horse, pig and sheep. typical fusiform muscle cells constitute a distinct layer up to 0.3 micrometer thick in the horse; there are fewer muscle cells, mainly of the branched form, in the pig; whereas in the sheep the muscle component is least well developed, with some cells intermediate in form between smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts (myofibroblasts). Attention is drawn to the continuity of this capsular muscle with the smooth muscle associated with the vasculature of the spermatic cord in the horse. This association suggests that the capsular muscle is unlikely to have a primary role in sperm transport from the testis.
D000818:Animals; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006736:Horses / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012756:Sheep / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013085:Spermatic Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013552:Swine / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013737:Testis / Q000648:ultrastructure*