Tunica albuginea of testis

{{Short description|Tissue surrounding the testicle}}

{{For|other structures with the same name|Tunica albuginea (disambiguation){{!}}Tunica albuginea}}

{{Infobox anatomy

| Name = Tunica albuginea of testis

| Latin = tunica albuginea testis

| Image = Testicle-Revised.jpg

| Caption = A diagram of the major components of an adult human testicle, including the following numbered items: 1. Tunica albuginea, 2. Septula testis, 3. Lobulus testis, 4. Mediastinum testis, 5. Tubuli seminiferi contorti, 6. Tubuli seminiferi recti, 7. Rete testis, 8. Ductuli efferentes testis, 9a. Head of epididymis, 9b. Body of epididymis, 9c. Tail of epididymis, 10. Vas deferens, 11a. Tunica vaginalis (parietal lamina), 11b. Tunica vaginalis (visceral lamina), and 12. Cavity of tunica vaginalis.

| Image2 = Testicle-bull.jpg

| Caption2 = Section of a testicle of a bull, blood vessels injected with red gelatine. 1 parenchyma, 2 mediastinum testis, 3 tunica albuginea, 4 tail of epididymis, 5 head of epididymis, 6 spermatic cord with convoluted testicular artery

| System =

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The tunica albuginea is a dense,{{Cite book |last=Standring |first=Susan |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1201341621 |title=Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-7020-7707-4 |edition=42nd |location=New York |pages=1292 |oclc=1201341621}} blue-white{{Cite book |last=Standring |first=Susan |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1201341621 |title=Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-7020-7707-4 |edition=42nd |location=New York |pages=1292 |oclc=1201341621}} layer of fibrous tissue surrounding the testis.{{Citation |title=Testes and Scrotum |date=2017-01-01 |url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978032347781950043X |work=Imaging Anatomy: Chest, Abdomen, Pelvis (Second Edition) |pages=1000–1017 |editor-last=Federle |editor-first=Michael P. |access-date=2021-02-03 |publisher=Elsevier |language=en |doi=10.1016/B978-0-323-47781-9.50043-X |isbn=978-0-323-47781-9 |editor2-last=Rosado-de-Christenson |editor2-first=Melissa L. |editor3-last=Raman |editor3-first=Siva P. |editor4-last=Carter |editor4-first=Brett W.|url-access=subscription }} It is the middle of three envelopes forming the capsule of the testis; it is deep to the visceral layer of tunica vaginalis, and superficial to the tunica vasculosa testis (vascular layer of testis).{{Cite book |last=Standring |first=Susan |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1201341621 |title=Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-7020-7707-4 |edition=42nd |location=New York |pages=1292 |oclc=1201341621}}

The connective tissue of the tunica albuginea testis extends into the substance of the testis to form fibrous partitions - the septa testis.{{Cite book |last=Martini |first=Frederic |title=Human Anatomy |last2=Tallitsch |first2=Robert B. |last3=Nath |first3=Judi L. |publisher=Pearson |year=2017 |isbn=9780134320762 |edition=9th |pages=711}} At the posterior aspect of the testis (where the serosa of testis is deficient to allow for the attachment of the epididymis), the tunica albuginea extends into the testis to form the mediastinum testis.