Mesonephros

Mesonephros
Reconstruction of a human embryo of 17 mm. (Label for Mesonephros is at center right.)
Gray's	subject #252 1205
Carnegie stage	14
Precursor	intermediate mesoderm
MeSH	Mesonephros
Dorlands/Elsevier	m_11/12527308

WikiDoc Resources for Mesonephros
Articles
Most recent articles on Mesonephros Most cited articles on Mesonephros Review articles on Mesonephros Articles on Mesonephros in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ
Media
Powerpoint slides on Mesonephros Images of Mesonephros Photos of Mesonephros Podcasts & MP3s on Mesonephros Videos on Mesonephros
Evidence Based Medicine
Cochrane Collaboration on Mesonephros Bandolier on Mesonephros TRIP on Mesonephros
Clinical Trials
Ongoing Trials on Mesonephros at Clinical Trials.gov Trial results on Mesonephros Clinical Trials on Mesonephros at Google
Guidelines / Policies / Govt
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Mesonephros NICE Guidance on Mesonephros NHS PRODIGY Guidance FDA on Mesonephros CDC on Mesonephros
Books
Books on Mesonephros
News
Mesonephros in the news Be alerted to news on Mesonephros News trends on Mesonephros
Commentary
Blogs on Mesonephros
Definitions
Definitions of Mesonephros
Patient Resources / Community
Patient resources on Mesonephros Discussion groups on Mesonephros Patient Handouts on Mesonephros Directions to Hospitals Treating Mesonephros Risk calculators and risk factors for Mesonephros
Healthcare Provider Resources
Symptoms of Mesonephros Causes & Risk Factors for Mesonephros Diagnostic studies for Mesonephros Treatment of Mesonephros
Continuing Medical Education (CME)
CME Programs on Mesonephros
International
Mesonephros en Espanol Mesonephros en Francais
Business
Mesonephros in the Marketplace Patents on Mesonephros
Experimental / Informatics
List of terms related to Mesonephros

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

The mesonephros (Latin for "middle kidney") is one of three excretory organs that develop in vertebrates. It serves as the main excretory organ of aquatic vertebrates and as a temporary kidney in higher vertebrates. The mesonephros is included in the Wolffian body after Caspar Friedrich Wolff who described it in 1759. (The Wolffian body is composed of : mesonephros + paramesonephrotic blastema)

Structure

The mesonephros is composed of the mesonephric duct (also called the Wolffian duct), mesonephric tubules, and associated capillary tufts. A single tubule and its associated capillary tuft is called a mesonephric excretory unit; these units are similar in structure and function to nephrons of the adult kidney. The mesonephros is derived from intermediate mesoderm in the vertebrate embryo.

Differences between males and females

In human males, the mesonephros gives rise to the efferent ductules of the testis, the epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle, and vestigial structures such as the appendix testis, appendix epididymis, and paradidymis.

The mesonephros largely regresses in human females, though vestigial structures such as Gartner's cysts, the epoophoron, and paroophoron are common.

Differences among species

The mesonephros persists and form the permanent kidneys in fishes and amphibians, but in reptiles, birds, and mammals, it atrophies and for the most part disappears rapidly as the permanent kidney (metanephros) develops begins during the sixth or seventh week, so that by the beginning of the fifth month only the ducts and a few of the tubules of the mesonephros remain.

Additional images

• 

  Broad ligament of adult, showing epoöphoron.

See also

• pronephros
• metanephros
• paramesonephric ducts, ducts beside (para-) the mesonephros