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Cremaster muscle

Cremaster muscle
Image:Layers of the scrotum.gif
The cremaster muscle appears as a thin layer just superficial to the tunica vaginalis.
Latin '
Gray's subject #118
Origin:
Insertion:
Blood:
Nerve: genitofemoral nerve
Action:

The cremaster muscle is a musclethat covers the testis. Its function is to raise and lower the scrotumin order to regulate the temperature of the testis and promote spermatogenesis. In a cool environment the cremaster draws the testis closer to the body preventing heat loss, while when it is warmer the cremaster relaxes allowing the testis to cool. The cremaster develops to its full extent only in males; in females it is represented by only a few muscle loops.

In humanmales, the cremaster muscle is a thin layer of skeletal musclefound in the inguinal canal and scrotumbetween the external and internal layers of spermatic fascia, surrounding the testis and spermatic cord. The cremaster muscle is a paired structure, there being one on each side of the body. Anatomically, it is an extension of the internal obliquemuscle and originates from the fibers of this muscle just superior to the inguinal canal. It receives its innervation from the genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve.

Clinically, a reflexarc can be demonstrated by lightly stroking the skin of the inner thighdownwards from the hip towards the knee. This causes the cremaster muscle on the same side to rapidly contract, raising that testicle. This so called cremasteric reflexis much more pronounced in children than in adults.

The cremaster can also be contracted voluntarily, by contracting the PC muscle(using Kegels), or by sucking in the abdomen. This doesn't happen in all males, however: the stronger the pelvic muscles, the easier it is to cause the cremaster to contract.

External links

  • GPnotebook-731185075
  • LUCcrem
Musclesof the Head-- Neck-- Trunk-- Upper limb-- Lower limb-- LIST OF ALL MUSCLES

BACK: splenius capitis| splenius cervicis| sacrospinalis| semispinalis| multifidus| rotatores| interspinales| intertransversarii| (Gray'ss115)

SUBOCCIPITAL: rectus capitis posterior (major, minor) | obliquus capitis (inferior, superior) | (Gray'ss116)

THORAX: intercostales (externi, interni) | subcostales| transversus thoracis| levatores costarum| serratus posterior (inferior, superior) | diaphragm| (Gray'ss117)

ABDOMEN: obliques (external, internal) | transversus abdominis| rectus abdominis| pyramidalis | cremaster | quadratus lumborum| (Gray'ss118)

PELVIS: levator ani(iliococcygeus, pubococcygeus) | coccygeus | (Gray'ss119)

PERINEUM: corrugator cutis ani| sphincter ani (externus, internus) | transversus perinei superficialis| bulbospongiosus| ischiocavernosus| Transversus perinei profundussphincter urethrae membranaceae| (Gray'ss120)

Image:Pectoralis major.png This musclearticle is a stub. You can helpWikipedia by expanding it.
de:Musculus cremaster

es:Cremáster fr:Cremaster (muscle) it:Muscolo cremastere

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/Cremaster_muscle"



This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cremaster+muscle Wikipedia article Cremaster muscle.

 
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