The Wolffian duct (also known as archinephric duct, Leydig's duct, mesonephric duct, or nephric duct) is a paired organ found in mammals including humans during embryogenesis.

It connects the primitive kidney Wolffian body (or mesonephros) to the cloaca and serves as the anlage for certain male reproductive organs.

Male anatomy

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In a male, it develops into a system of connected organs between the testis and the prostate, namely the rete testis, the efferent ducts, the epididymis, the vas deferens, the seminal vesicle, and the prostate.

For this it is critical that the ducts are exposed to testosterone during embryogenesis.

In the mature male, the function of this system is to store and mature sperm, and provide accessory semen fluid.

Female anatomy

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In the female, in the absence of testosterone support, the Wolffian ducts do not develop and wither.

As a residual the epoophoron may be present. Also, lateral to the wall of the vagina a Gartner's duct or cyst could develop as a remnant.

History

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It is named after Caspar Friedrich Wolff who described the mesonephros and its ducts in his dissertation in 1759.

See also

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• Fetal genitalia
• List of homologues of the human reproductive system
• Masculinization
• Sexual differentiation
• Müllerian duct
• Ureteric bud

Eponymous anatomical structures | Urinary system | Developmental biology | Urnierengang