testes
(noun)
Also referred to as testicles, the male gonads in animals.
(noun)
The male gonads responsible for the production of sperm and the secretion of testosterone.
Examples of testes in the following topics:
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Diagnostic Blood Tests
- They are also used in drug tests.
- Although the term blood test is used, most routine tests (except for most hematology) are done on blood plasma instead of blood cells.
- For these reasons, blood tests are the most commonly-performed medical tests.
- While the regular glucose test is taken at a certain point in time, the glucose tolerance test involves repeated testing to determine the rate at which glucose is processed by the body.
- Blood tests can also be used to analyze the blood cells.
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Early Pregnancy Tests
- While at-home pregnancy testing kits have some value, they also raise concerns.
- A pregnancy test attempts to determine whether a woman is pregnant.
- Qualitative blood tests generally have a threshold of 25 mIU/mL, and so are less sensitive than some available home pregnancy tests.
- Most home pregnancy tests are based on lateral-flow technology.
- However, testing for EPF is expensive and time-consuming.
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Papanicolaou Test
- The Pap smear is a test used to determine the health of the cervical canal and is an important test in cancer prevention.
- The BabeșPapanicolaou test (also called Pap smear, Pap test, cervical smear, or smear test) is a screening test used to detect potentially pre-cancerous and cancerous processes in the endocervical canal (transformation zone) of the female reproductive system.
- The test was invented by and named after the prominent Greek doctor Georgios Papanikolaou.
- The test remains an effective, widely used method for early detection of pre-cancer and cervical cancer.
- The test may also detect infections and abnormalities in the endocervix and endometrium.
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Occult Blood
- Newer tests look for globin, DNA, or other blood factors including transferrin, while conventional stool tests look for heme.
- Tests for occult blood identify lesser blood loss.
- If a home fecal occult blood test detects blood in the stool it is recommended to see a health professional to arrange further testing.
- An estimated 1–5% of large tested populations have a positive fecal occult blood test.
- This image shows slides and developer (bottle) for the Hemoccult test, a type of stool guaiac test to detect the presence of fecal occult blood.
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Scrotum
- The purpose of the scrotum is to provide the testes with a chamber of appropriate temperature for optimal sperm production.
- This asymmetry may also allow more effective cooling of the testes.
- The function of the scrotum appears to be to keep the temperature of the testes slightly lower than that of the rest of the body.
- The temperature is controlled by scrotal movement of the testes away or towards the body depending on the environmental temperatures.
- Moving the testes away from the abdomen and increasing the exposed surface area allow a faster dispersion of excess heat.
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Prenatal Diagnostic Tests
- Diagnostic prenatal testing can be done by invasive or noninvasive methods.
- Some parents may decide that even a 1:1,000 risk of birth defects warrants an invasive test, while others would not opt for an invasive test even if they had a 1:10 risk score.
- Invasive testing is warranted in the following cases:
- Other testing may combine a first trimester blood test with one done in the second trimester to determine if further action needs to be taken.
- Infer the type of prenatal diagnostic test that should be used in a particular case
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Cryptorchidism
- Cryptorchidism is a condition present at birth in boys where one or more of the testes is absent from the scrotum.
- Cryptorchidism is the absence of one or both testes from the scrotum.
- About two thirds of cases without other abnormalities are unilateral; one third involve both testes.
- Although many trials have been published, the reported success rates range widely, from roughly 5 to 50%, probably reflecting the varying criteria for distinguishing retractile testes from low inguinal testes.
- Cryptorchidism occurs when one or both testes do not descend into the scrotum.
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Testes
- Thee testes produce sperm (spermatogenesis) and androgens, primarily testosterone.
- Almost all healthy male vertebrates have two testes.
- In mammals, the testes are often contained within an extension of the abdomen called the scrotum.
- In mammals with external testes, it is most common for one testicle to hang lower than the other.
- The sertoli cells are the testes’ somatic cells, necessary for testis development and spermatogenesis.
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Assessing CNS Disorders
- An example of a specific type of neurological test is a monofilament test which evaluates fine touch by applying pressure to the skin with a set of nylon filaments.
- If a problem is found, further tests can be carried out to focus on a particular aspect of the nervous system (e.g., lumbar punctures or blood tests).
- These are tested by their individual purposes (e.g., the visual acuity can be tested by a Snellen chart).
- A reflex hammer is used for this testing.
- Tests include:
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Male and Female Gonads
- The gonads in males are the testes and the gonads in females are the ovaries.
- The gonads in males are the testes and the gonads in females are the ovaries.
- The testes are the male reproductive gonads in humans.
- The testes are located in the scrotum (a sac of skin between the upper thighs).
- In the male fetus, the testes develop near the kidneys, then descend into the scrotum just before birth.