Quick Facts
Location: Scrotum, superficial to the external spermatic fascia.
Arterial Supply: Scrotal and cremasteric arteries.
Venous Drainage: Scrotal and cremasteric veins.
Innervation: Genital branch of genitofemoral nerve.
Lymphatic Drainage: Superficial inguinal lymph nodes.
Related parts of the anatomy
Structure/Morphology
The dartos fascia of scrotum is a motile sheath of fibrous connective tissue that is continuous with the superficial fascia of the penis. It contains smooth muscle, which is responsible for giving the scrotum a wrinkled appearance.
Anatomical Relations
The dartos fascia of the scrotum lies superficial to the external spermatic fascia of the scrotum.
Function
The dartos fascia of scrotum is responsible for temperature control in the testes. The contraction of the smooth muscle brings the scrotum and testes closer to the body (increasing temperature). Relaxation of the muscle allows the scrotum and testes to move further from the body (decreasing temperature).
Arterial Supply
The dartos fascia is supplied by the scrotal arteries, which are branches from the internal pudendal arteries and the cremasteric arteries, which are branches from the inferior epigastric arteries.
Venous Drainage
The dartos fascia is drained by the scrotal veins, which drain into the internal pudendal veins and the cremasteric veins, which drain into the inferior epigastric veins.
Innervation
The dartos fascia receives sympathetic innervation from the genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve.
Lymphatic Drainage
The lymph of the dartos fascia is drained into the superficial inguinal lymph nodes.
Learn more about this topic from other Elsevier products
Dartos
The tunica dartos is a layer of fibroelastic tissue and smooth muscle that by contracting thickens the scrotal skin and raises the testes closer to the body and by relaxing lowers the testes and allows the scrotal skin to become thinner.
