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The epididymis links the efferent ducts, which connect to the seminiferous tubules of the testis, to the vas deferens. It consists of head (caput), body (isthmus) and tail (cauda) and is covered by a capsule of fibrous connective tissue. Inside the epididymis is a single, extremely coiled duct, the epididymal duct, which is lined with cuboidal or columnar epithelial cells that have large unmotile stereocilia on their apical surfaces. The epididymal duct is surrounded by loose connective tissue rich in blood vessels. Towards the tail the lumen of the epididymal duct becomes wider and its wall grows thicker and contains more smooth muscle.
The micrographs are cross sections of the head of the epididymis. The 4X micrograph depicts the capsule and the epididymal duct, which is cut at various angles. In the lower left corners of the 4X and 10X micrographs the efferent ducts are visible. The 10X, 20X, and 40X micrographs display the well-vascularized loose connective tissue present around the epididymal duct. The 20X and 40X micrographs show that the epididymal duct is lined with the columnar epithelium. Details of this epithelium, basal nuclei and stereocilia on the apical pole, are visible in the 40X micrograph.
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