Human Scrotal Temperature During Heat Exposure Associated with Passive Leg Heating

Abstract

In contrast to the numerous studies carried out for investigating the temperature regulation of the animal testis (especially in the ram), there are only a few reports dealing with human testis thermoregulation (Brindley, 1982; Kandeel and Swerdlof f, 1988 for a review). In man exposed to external heat load, the temperature of the testis results from the thermal equilibrium between the local heat production, the heat exchanges with the surroundings and the heat transfer occurring via the local vascular system. According to the investigation by Buettner (1969), there are no active sweat glands in the human scrotal skin, although the water loss through skin diffusion can be larger than in other areas.