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Why do hot water baths affect only males' fertility? Why not females'?
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
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Here is the link where urologists are warning men not to take hot water baths.
Why does it affect only males' fertility? Why not females also?
human-biology sex health
edited 19 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
asked 15 hours ago
K Sai Harsha
333
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K Sai Harsha is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
favorite
Here is the link where urologists are warning men not to take hot water baths.
Why does it affect only males' fertility? Why not females also?
human-biology sex health
edited 19 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
asked 15 hours ago
K Sai Harsha
333
New contributor
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Related: xkcd 550
– Peter Mortensen
4 hours ago
@PeterMortensen By two tags, ignoring the question?
– rus9384
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
favorite
up vote
6
down vote
favorite
Here is the link where urologists are warning men not to take hot water baths.
Why does it affect only males' fertility? Why not females also?
human-biology sex health
edited 19 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
asked 15 hours ago
K Sai Harsha
333
New contributor
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Here is the link where urologists are warning men not to take hot water baths.
Why does it affect only males' fertility? Why not females also?
human-biology sex health
human-biology sex health
edited 19 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
asked 15 hours ago
K Sai Harsha
333
New contributor
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 19 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
asked 15 hours ago
K Sai Harsha
333
New contributor
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 19 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
edited 19 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
edited 19 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
1554
asked 15 hours ago
K Sai Harsha
333
New contributor
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 15 hours ago
K Sai Harsha
333
asked 15 hours ago
K Sai Harsha
333
333
New contributor
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Related: xkcd 550
– Peter Mortensen
4 hours ago
@PeterMortensen By two tags, ignoring the question?
– rus9384
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
Related: xkcd 550
– Peter Mortensen
4 hours ago
@PeterMortensen By two tags, ignoring the question?
– rus9384
2 hours ago
Related: xkcd 550
– Peter Mortensen
4 hours ago
Related: xkcd 550
– Peter Mortensen
4 hours ago
@PeterMortensen By two tags, ignoring the question?
– rus9384
2 hours ago
@PeterMortensen By two tags, ignoring the question?
– rus9384
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
A mature human sperm has some mitochondria, a nucleus, an acrosome and a flagellar apparatus. That's it. Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm, they have to be kept in a kind of 'cold storage' so that they are viable for at least some time (usually a couple of days). The ideal temperature would be 1.8°C to 2.5°C below normal body temperature, i.e. 37.6 °C or 98 F. If a man takes frequent hot water baths, his sperm count becomes low as the mature sperms get dessicated quickly.
The reason that women don't require this strict temperature regulation is that the mature ovum has the complete cellular machinery at it's disposal- mitochondria, nucleus, golgi bodies, ER, the works. So it can remain viable for a much longer time (about 7 days after ovulation) and has higher temperature tolerance than sperms.
answered 10 hours ago
user29774
694
1
can you add please some refferencis? Specially this "Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm" made me quite suspicious.
– L.Diago
10 hours ago
5
@K Sai Harsha how do you know that this answer is scientifically correct let alone accept it?
– user 33690
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
Well, the answer by @An J has already explained the prima facie of your question which is: sperms need lower temperature for development. But I will be explaining in my answer: Why do the sperms actually need a lower temperature for their development?
This is a debatable subject, but there have been several models or hypothesis about this. I found this literature on it, and it summarises the thing excellently. Hope it helps:
Throughout the Cenozoic, the fitness benefits of the scrotum in placental mammals presumably outweighed the fitness costs through damage, yet a definitive hypothesis for its evolution remains elusive. Here, I present an hypothesis (Endothermic Pulses Hypothesis) which argues that the evolution of the scrotum was driven by Cenozoic pulses in endothermy, that is, increases in normothermic body temperature...
The model argues that stabilizing selection maintained an optimum temperature for spermatogenesis and sperm storage throughout the Cenozoic at the lower plesiomorphic levels of body temperature that prevailed in ancestral mammals for at least 163 million years. Evolutionary stasis may have been driven by reduced rates of germâ€Âcell mutations at lower body temperatures...
The fitness advantages of an optimum temperature of spermatogenesis outweighed the potential costs of testes externalization and paved the way for the evolution of the scrotum. The scrotum evolved within several hundred thousand years of the Kâ€ÂPg extinction, probably associated initially with the evolution of cursoriality, and arguably facilitated mid†and late Cenozoic metabolic adaptations to factors such as climate, flight in bats and sociality in primates.
About the function of the scrotum from the article
The scrotum is a sacâ€Âlike thermoregulatory structure that houses the testes at a temperature lower than the core body temperature (Tb; Moore, 1926; Wislocki, 1933; Ruibal, 1957; Setchell, 1998). The cremasteric muscles in the scrotum contract and relax to draw the testes closer to or allow them to dangle further away from the body in order to maintain the testes at an ‘optimal’ temperature for spermatogenesis (sensu Moore, 1926; Tsperm) and sperm storage of 34–35 °C (Setchell, 1998; Gallup et al., 2009; Mawyer et al., 2012). In humans, the scrotal temperature is maintained about 2.7 °C lower than the Tb (Momen et al., 2010). Notwithstanding the relative fitness benefits of a cooled epididymis vs. the cooled testis, four nonmutually exclusive hypotheses currently dominate explanations for the evolution of the scrotum: the Cool Spermatogenesis Hypothesis (Moore, 1926), the Galloping Hypothesis (Frey, 1991), the Mutation Hypothesis (Short, 1997) and the Activation Hypothesis (Gallup et al., 2009).
Cool Spermatogenesis Hypothesis
...argued that Tsperm and the maintenance of sperm viability during storage in the epididymis is about 34–35 Â°C (Moore, 1926; Appell et al., 1977). Scrotal temperatures that approach those of the core Tbcompromise fertility (Moore, 1926; Bedford, 1978b, 2004; Setchell, 1998), particularly if evaporative cooling of the scrotum is impaired (Momen et al., 2010).
The Galloping Hypothesis
... (Frey, 1991)proposes a tradeâ€Âoff between testes vulnerability (fitness cost) and the avoidance of strong intraâ€Âabdominal pressure fluctuations during galloping which impair spermatogenesis in abdominal testes (fitness benefit).
The Mutation Hypothesis
... maintains that the testis is a ‘hot spot’ for germâ€Âcell mutations and that the lower temperatures of the scrotum reduce the rates of mutation on the Y chromosome through mutagenic metabolites (Short, 1997).
The Activation Hypothesis
... storage of sperm at a lowered temperature ensures that they undergo ‘thermal shock’ during ejaculation into the higher temperatures of the female, which increases their motility and hence the probability of a successful insemination (Gallup et al., 2009).
edited 2 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
answered 9 hours ago
user 33690
1,494417
3
Finally somebody with refferences :D nice aswer :)
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
1
@user 33690 your answer lacks female's fertility
– K Sai Harsha
7 hours ago
1
Hm, I thought that last hypothesis is closer to reality. That maybe after capacitation (which occurs in warmer environment) sperm have much shorter lifespan. Or that capacitation is limited in its time. So that it was lifespan-motility-scrotum tradeoff. But who knows.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
1
The thing is that activation is the case only for mammals (while birds do not have it). And scrotum as well. Also, wondering if difference between scrotum and body temperature is linked with sperm competition. This definitely would add points to the last hypothesis.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
2
@KSaiHarsha Well... These four hypotheses are not applicable to women. Ova have quite a long lifespan; are not influenced much by the pressure; women do not have Y chromosome, so no mutations there; ova do not move really fast. I think this answer really explains the difference between male and female fertility under temperature influence.
– rus9384
1 hour ago
 |Â
show 2 more comments
up vote
0
down vote
To keep sperm viable in natural body condition they are kept in relative lower temperature than the body temperature & this can achived by scrotum.As sperm produce in testis and testis situated in scrotum outside the main part of body a pouch like structure.this arrangement going to help to achive slight lesser temperature relative to body temperature.definatly frequent hot water bath will lower the sperm count by hampering spermatogenesis as it disturb the normal physiological conditions inside the testis by increasing temperature.
Other side in female, body temperature is not going to affect the oogenesis(ovum formation process).Instead of that you will see increase in basal body temperature(about 0.5 c) during ovulation(release of ovum) that means hot water bath no issue for female fertility.
answered 10 hours ago
An J
11
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An J is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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2
Hi, its good aswer, but can you add some refferences to your claims?
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
A mature human sperm has some mitochondria, a nucleus, an acrosome and a flagellar apparatus. That's it. Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm, they have to be kept in a kind of 'cold storage' so that they are viable for at least some time (usually a couple of days). The ideal temperature would be 1.8°C to 2.5°C below normal body temperature, i.e. 37.6 °C or 98 F. If a man takes frequent hot water baths, his sperm count becomes low as the mature sperms get dessicated quickly.
The reason that women don't require this strict temperature regulation is that the mature ovum has the complete cellular machinery at it's disposal- mitochondria, nucleus, golgi bodies, ER, the works. So it can remain viable for a much longer time (about 7 days after ovulation) and has higher temperature tolerance than sperms.
answered 10 hours ago
user29774
694
1
can you add please some refferencis? Specially this "Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm" made me quite suspicious.
– L.Diago
10 hours ago
5
@K Sai Harsha how do you know that this answer is scientifically correct let alone accept it?
– user 33690
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
A mature human sperm has some mitochondria, a nucleus, an acrosome and a flagellar apparatus. That's it. Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm, they have to be kept in a kind of 'cold storage' so that they are viable for at least some time (usually a couple of days). The ideal temperature would be 1.8°C to 2.5°C below normal body temperature, i.e. 37.6 °C or 98 F. If a man takes frequent hot water baths, his sperm count becomes low as the mature sperms get dessicated quickly.
The reason that women don't require this strict temperature regulation is that the mature ovum has the complete cellular machinery at it's disposal- mitochondria, nucleus, golgi bodies, ER, the works. So it can remain viable for a much longer time (about 7 days after ovulation) and has higher temperature tolerance than sperms.
answered 10 hours ago
user29774
694
1
can you add please some refferencis? Specially this "Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm" made me quite suspicious.
– L.Diago
10 hours ago
5
@K Sai Harsha how do you know that this answer is scientifically correct let alone accept it?
– user 33690
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
A mature human sperm has some mitochondria, a nucleus, an acrosome and a flagellar apparatus. That's it. Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm, they have to be kept in a kind of 'cold storage' so that they are viable for at least some time (usually a couple of days). The ideal temperature would be 1.8°C to 2.5°C below normal body temperature, i.e. 37.6 °C or 98 F. If a man takes frequent hot water baths, his sperm count becomes low as the mature sperms get dessicated quickly.
The reason that women don't require this strict temperature regulation is that the mature ovum has the complete cellular machinery at it's disposal- mitochondria, nucleus, golgi bodies, ER, the works. So it can remain viable for a much longer time (about 7 days after ovulation) and has higher temperature tolerance than sperms.
answered 10 hours ago
user29774
694
A mature human sperm has some mitochondria, a nucleus, an acrosome and a flagellar apparatus. That's it. Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm, they have to be kept in a kind of 'cold storage' so that they are viable for at least some time (usually a couple of days). The ideal temperature would be 1.8°C to 2.5°C below normal body temperature, i.e. 37.6 °C or 98 F. If a man takes frequent hot water baths, his sperm count becomes low as the mature sperms get dessicated quickly.
The reason that women don't require this strict temperature regulation is that the mature ovum has the complete cellular machinery at it's disposal- mitochondria, nucleus, golgi bodies, ER, the works. So it can remain viable for a much longer time (about 7 days after ovulation) and has higher temperature tolerance than sperms.
answered 10 hours ago
user29774
694
answered 10 hours ago
user29774
694
answered 10 hours ago
user29774
694
answered 10 hours ago
user29774
694
694
1
can you add please some refferencis? Specially this "Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm" made me quite suspicious.
– L.Diago
10 hours ago
5
@K Sai Harsha how do you know that this answer is scientifically correct let alone accept it?
– user 33690
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
1
can you add please some refferencis? Specially this "Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm" made me quite suspicious.
– L.Diago
10 hours ago
5
@K Sai Harsha how do you know that this answer is scientifically correct let alone accept it?
– user 33690
9 hours ago
1
1
can you add please some refferencis? Specially this "Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm" made me quite suspicious.
– L.Diago
10 hours ago
can you add please some refferencis? Specially this "Because of the lack of other organelles in the sperm" made me quite suspicious.
– L.Diago
10 hours ago
5
5
@K Sai Harsha how do you know that this answer is scientifically correct let alone accept it?
– user 33690
9 hours ago
@K Sai Harsha how do you know that this answer is scientifically correct let alone accept it?
– user 33690
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
Well, the answer by @An J has already explained the prima facie of your question which is: sperms need lower temperature for development. But I will be explaining in my answer: Why do the sperms actually need a lower temperature for their development?
This is a debatable subject, but there have been several models or hypothesis about this. I found this literature on it, and it summarises the thing excellently. Hope it helps:
Throughout the Cenozoic, the fitness benefits of the scrotum in placental mammals presumably outweighed the fitness costs through damage, yet a definitive hypothesis for its evolution remains elusive. Here, I present an hypothesis (Endothermic Pulses Hypothesis) which argues that the evolution of the scrotum was driven by Cenozoic pulses in endothermy, that is, increases in normothermic body temperature...
The model argues that stabilizing selection maintained an optimum temperature for spermatogenesis and sperm storage throughout the Cenozoic at the lower plesiomorphic levels of body temperature that prevailed in ancestral mammals for at least 163 million years. Evolutionary stasis may have been driven by reduced rates of germâ€Âcell mutations at lower body temperatures...
The fitness advantages of an optimum temperature of spermatogenesis outweighed the potential costs of testes externalization and paved the way for the evolution of the scrotum. The scrotum evolved within several hundred thousand years of the Kâ€ÂPg extinction, probably associated initially with the evolution of cursoriality, and arguably facilitated mid†and late Cenozoic metabolic adaptations to factors such as climate, flight in bats and sociality in primates.
About the function of the scrotum from the article
The scrotum is a sacâ€Âlike thermoregulatory structure that houses the testes at a temperature lower than the core body temperature (Tb; Moore, 1926; Wislocki, 1933; Ruibal, 1957; Setchell, 1998). The cremasteric muscles in the scrotum contract and relax to draw the testes closer to or allow them to dangle further away from the body in order to maintain the testes at an ‘optimal’ temperature for spermatogenesis (sensu Moore, 1926; Tsperm) and sperm storage of 34–35 °C (Setchell, 1998; Gallup et al., 2009; Mawyer et al., 2012). In humans, the scrotal temperature is maintained about 2.7 °C lower than the Tb (Momen et al., 2010). Notwithstanding the relative fitness benefits of a cooled epididymis vs. the cooled testis, four nonmutually exclusive hypotheses currently dominate explanations for the evolution of the scrotum: the Cool Spermatogenesis Hypothesis (Moore, 1926), the Galloping Hypothesis (Frey, 1991), the Mutation Hypothesis (Short, 1997) and the Activation Hypothesis (Gallup et al., 2009).
Cool Spermatogenesis Hypothesis
...argued that Tsperm and the maintenance of sperm viability during storage in the epididymis is about 34–35 Â°C (Moore, 1926; Appell et al., 1977). Scrotal temperatures that approach those of the core Tbcompromise fertility (Moore, 1926; Bedford, 1978b, 2004; Setchell, 1998), particularly if evaporative cooling of the scrotum is impaired (Momen et al., 2010).
The Galloping Hypothesis
... (Frey, 1991)proposes a tradeâ€Âoff between testes vulnerability (fitness cost) and the avoidance of strong intraâ€Âabdominal pressure fluctuations during galloping which impair spermatogenesis in abdominal testes (fitness benefit).
The Mutation Hypothesis
... maintains that the testis is a ‘hot spot’ for germâ€Âcell mutations and that the lower temperatures of the scrotum reduce the rates of mutation on the Y chromosome through mutagenic metabolites (Short, 1997).
The Activation Hypothesis
... storage of sperm at a lowered temperature ensures that they undergo ‘thermal shock’ during ejaculation into the higher temperatures of the female, which increases their motility and hence the probability of a successful insemination (Gallup et al., 2009).
edited 2 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
answered 9 hours ago
user 33690
1,494417
3
Finally somebody with refferences :D nice aswer :)
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
1
@user 33690 your answer lacks female's fertility
– K Sai Harsha
7 hours ago
1
Hm, I thought that last hypothesis is closer to reality. That maybe after capacitation (which occurs in warmer environment) sperm have much shorter lifespan. Or that capacitation is limited in its time. So that it was lifespan-motility-scrotum tradeoff. But who knows.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
1
The thing is that activation is the case only for mammals (while birds do not have it). And scrotum as well. Also, wondering if difference between scrotum and body temperature is linked with sperm competition. This definitely would add points to the last hypothesis.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
2
@KSaiHarsha Well... These four hypotheses are not applicable to women. Ova have quite a long lifespan; are not influenced much by the pressure; women do not have Y chromosome, so no mutations there; ova do not move really fast. I think this answer really explains the difference between male and female fertility under temperature influence.
– rus9384
1 hour ago
 |Â
show 2 more comments
up vote
9
down vote
Well, the answer by @An J has already explained the prima facie of your question which is: sperms need lower temperature for development. But I will be explaining in my answer: Why do the sperms actually need a lower temperature for their development?
This is a debatable subject, but there have been several models or hypothesis about this. I found this literature on it, and it summarises the thing excellently. Hope it helps:
Throughout the Cenozoic, the fitness benefits of the scrotum in placental mammals presumably outweighed the fitness costs through damage, yet a definitive hypothesis for its evolution remains elusive. Here, I present an hypothesis (Endothermic Pulses Hypothesis) which argues that the evolution of the scrotum was driven by Cenozoic pulses in endothermy, that is, increases in normothermic body temperature...
The model argues that stabilizing selection maintained an optimum temperature for spermatogenesis and sperm storage throughout the Cenozoic at the lower plesiomorphic levels of body temperature that prevailed in ancestral mammals for at least 163 million years. Evolutionary stasis may have been driven by reduced rates of germâ€Âcell mutations at lower body temperatures...
The fitness advantages of an optimum temperature of spermatogenesis outweighed the potential costs of testes externalization and paved the way for the evolution of the scrotum. The scrotum evolved within several hundred thousand years of the Kâ€ÂPg extinction, probably associated initially with the evolution of cursoriality, and arguably facilitated mid†and late Cenozoic metabolic adaptations to factors such as climate, flight in bats and sociality in primates.
About the function of the scrotum from the article
The scrotum is a sacâ€Âlike thermoregulatory structure that houses the testes at a temperature lower than the core body temperature (Tb; Moore, 1926; Wislocki, 1933; Ruibal, 1957; Setchell, 1998). The cremasteric muscles in the scrotum contract and relax to draw the testes closer to or allow them to dangle further away from the body in order to maintain the testes at an ‘optimal’ temperature for spermatogenesis (sensu Moore, 1926; Tsperm) and sperm storage of 34–35 °C (Setchell, 1998; Gallup et al., 2009; Mawyer et al., 2012). In humans, the scrotal temperature is maintained about 2.7 °C lower than the Tb (Momen et al., 2010). Notwithstanding the relative fitness benefits of a cooled epididymis vs. the cooled testis, four nonmutually exclusive hypotheses currently dominate explanations for the evolution of the scrotum: the Cool Spermatogenesis Hypothesis (Moore, 1926), the Galloping Hypothesis (Frey, 1991), the Mutation Hypothesis (Short, 1997) and the Activation Hypothesis (Gallup et al., 2009).
Cool Spermatogenesis Hypothesis
...argued that Tsperm and the maintenance of sperm viability during storage in the epididymis is about 34–35 Â°C (Moore, 1926; Appell et al., 1977). Scrotal temperatures that approach those of the core Tbcompromise fertility (Moore, 1926; Bedford, 1978b, 2004; Setchell, 1998), particularly if evaporative cooling of the scrotum is impaired (Momen et al., 2010).
The Galloping Hypothesis
... (Frey, 1991)proposes a tradeâ€Âoff between testes vulnerability (fitness cost) and the avoidance of strong intraâ€Âabdominal pressure fluctuations during galloping which impair spermatogenesis in abdominal testes (fitness benefit).
The Mutation Hypothesis
... maintains that the testis is a ‘hot spot’ for germâ€Âcell mutations and that the lower temperatures of the scrotum reduce the rates of mutation on the Y chromosome through mutagenic metabolites (Short, 1997).
The Activation Hypothesis
... storage of sperm at a lowered temperature ensures that they undergo ‘thermal shock’ during ejaculation into the higher temperatures of the female, which increases their motility and hence the probability of a successful insemination (Gallup et al., 2009).
edited 2 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
answered 9 hours ago
user 33690
1,494417
3
Finally somebody with refferences :D nice aswer :)
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
1
@user 33690 your answer lacks female's fertility
– K Sai Harsha
7 hours ago
1
Hm, I thought that last hypothesis is closer to reality. That maybe after capacitation (which occurs in warmer environment) sperm have much shorter lifespan. Or that capacitation is limited in its time. So that it was lifespan-motility-scrotum tradeoff. But who knows.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
1
The thing is that activation is the case only for mammals (while birds do not have it). And scrotum as well. Also, wondering if difference between scrotum and body temperature is linked with sperm competition. This definitely would add points to the last hypothesis.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
2
@KSaiHarsha Well... These four hypotheses are not applicable to women. Ova have quite a long lifespan; are not influenced much by the pressure; women do not have Y chromosome, so no mutations there; ova do not move really fast. I think this answer really explains the difference between male and female fertility under temperature influence.
– rus9384
1 hour ago
 |Â
show 2 more comments
up vote
9
down vote
up vote
9
down vote
Well, the answer by @An J has already explained the prima facie of your question which is: sperms need lower temperature for development. But I will be explaining in my answer: Why do the sperms actually need a lower temperature for their development?
This is a debatable subject, but there have been several models or hypothesis about this. I found this literature on it, and it summarises the thing excellently. Hope it helps:
Throughout the Cenozoic, the fitness benefits of the scrotum in placental mammals presumably outweighed the fitness costs through damage, yet a definitive hypothesis for its evolution remains elusive. Here, I present an hypothesis (Endothermic Pulses Hypothesis) which argues that the evolution of the scrotum was driven by Cenozoic pulses in endothermy, that is, increases in normothermic body temperature...
The model argues that stabilizing selection maintained an optimum temperature for spermatogenesis and sperm storage throughout the Cenozoic at the lower plesiomorphic levels of body temperature that prevailed in ancestral mammals for at least 163 million years. Evolutionary stasis may have been driven by reduced rates of germâ€Âcell mutations at lower body temperatures...
The fitness advantages of an optimum temperature of spermatogenesis outweighed the potential costs of testes externalization and paved the way for the evolution of the scrotum. The scrotum evolved within several hundred thousand years of the Kâ€ÂPg extinction, probably associated initially with the evolution of cursoriality, and arguably facilitated mid†and late Cenozoic metabolic adaptations to factors such as climate, flight in bats and sociality in primates.
About the function of the scrotum from the article
The scrotum is a sacâ€Âlike thermoregulatory structure that houses the testes at a temperature lower than the core body temperature (Tb; Moore, 1926; Wislocki, 1933; Ruibal, 1957; Setchell, 1998). The cremasteric muscles in the scrotum contract and relax to draw the testes closer to or allow them to dangle further away from the body in order to maintain the testes at an ‘optimal’ temperature for spermatogenesis (sensu Moore, 1926; Tsperm) and sperm storage of 34–35 °C (Setchell, 1998; Gallup et al., 2009; Mawyer et al., 2012). In humans, the scrotal temperature is maintained about 2.7 °C lower than the Tb (Momen et al., 2010). Notwithstanding the relative fitness benefits of a cooled epididymis vs. the cooled testis, four nonmutually exclusive hypotheses currently dominate explanations for the evolution of the scrotum: the Cool Spermatogenesis Hypothesis (Moore, 1926), the Galloping Hypothesis (Frey, 1991), the Mutation Hypothesis (Short, 1997) and the Activation Hypothesis (Gallup et al., 2009).
Cool Spermatogenesis Hypothesis
...argued that Tsperm and the maintenance of sperm viability during storage in the epididymis is about 34–35 Â°C (Moore, 1926; Appell et al., 1977). Scrotal temperatures that approach those of the core Tbcompromise fertility (Moore, 1926; Bedford, 1978b, 2004; Setchell, 1998), particularly if evaporative cooling of the scrotum is impaired (Momen et al., 2010).
The Galloping Hypothesis
... (Frey, 1991)proposes a tradeâ€Âoff between testes vulnerability (fitness cost) and the avoidance of strong intraâ€Âabdominal pressure fluctuations during galloping which impair spermatogenesis in abdominal testes (fitness benefit).
The Mutation Hypothesis
... maintains that the testis is a ‘hot spot’ for germâ€Âcell mutations and that the lower temperatures of the scrotum reduce the rates of mutation on the Y chromosome through mutagenic metabolites (Short, 1997).
The Activation Hypothesis
... storage of sperm at a lowered temperature ensures that they undergo ‘thermal shock’ during ejaculation into the higher temperatures of the female, which increases their motility and hence the probability of a successful insemination (Gallup et al., 2009).
edited 2 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
answered 9 hours ago
user 33690
1,494417
Well, the answer by @An J has already explained the prima facie of your question which is: sperms need lower temperature for development. But I will be explaining in my answer: Why do the sperms actually need a lower temperature for their development?
This is a debatable subject, but there have been several models or hypothesis about this. I found this literature on it, and it summarises the thing excellently. Hope it helps:
Throughout the Cenozoic, the fitness benefits of the scrotum in placental mammals presumably outweighed the fitness costs through damage, yet a definitive hypothesis for its evolution remains elusive. Here, I present an hypothesis (Endothermic Pulses Hypothesis) which argues that the evolution of the scrotum was driven by Cenozoic pulses in endothermy, that is, increases in normothermic body temperature...
The model argues that stabilizing selection maintained an optimum temperature for spermatogenesis and sperm storage throughout the Cenozoic at the lower plesiomorphic levels of body temperature that prevailed in ancestral mammals for at least 163 million years. Evolutionary stasis may have been driven by reduced rates of germâ€Âcell mutations at lower body temperatures...
The fitness advantages of an optimum temperature of spermatogenesis outweighed the potential costs of testes externalization and paved the way for the evolution of the scrotum. The scrotum evolved within several hundred thousand years of the Kâ€ÂPg extinction, probably associated initially with the evolution of cursoriality, and arguably facilitated mid†and late Cenozoic metabolic adaptations to factors such as climate, flight in bats and sociality in primates.
About the function of the scrotum from the article
The scrotum is a sacâ€Âlike thermoregulatory structure that houses the testes at a temperature lower than the core body temperature (Tb; Moore, 1926; Wislocki, 1933; Ruibal, 1957; Setchell, 1998). The cremasteric muscles in the scrotum contract and relax to draw the testes closer to or allow them to dangle further away from the body in order to maintain the testes at an ‘optimal’ temperature for spermatogenesis (sensu Moore, 1926; Tsperm) and sperm storage of 34–35 °C (Setchell, 1998; Gallup et al., 2009; Mawyer et al., 2012). In humans, the scrotal temperature is maintained about 2.7 °C lower than the Tb (Momen et al., 2010). Notwithstanding the relative fitness benefits of a cooled epididymis vs. the cooled testis, four nonmutually exclusive hypotheses currently dominate explanations for the evolution of the scrotum: the Cool Spermatogenesis Hypothesis (Moore, 1926), the Galloping Hypothesis (Frey, 1991), the Mutation Hypothesis (Short, 1997) and the Activation Hypothesis (Gallup et al., 2009).
Cool Spermatogenesis Hypothesis
...argued that Tsperm and the maintenance of sperm viability during storage in the epididymis is about 34–35 Â°C (Moore, 1926; Appell et al., 1977). Scrotal temperatures that approach those of the core Tbcompromise fertility (Moore, 1926; Bedford, 1978b, 2004; Setchell, 1998), particularly if evaporative cooling of the scrotum is impaired (Momen et al., 2010).
The Galloping Hypothesis
... (Frey, 1991)proposes a tradeâ€Âoff between testes vulnerability (fitness cost) and the avoidance of strong intraâ€Âabdominal pressure fluctuations during galloping which impair spermatogenesis in abdominal testes (fitness benefit).
The Mutation Hypothesis
... maintains that the testis is a ‘hot spot’ for germâ€Âcell mutations and that the lower temperatures of the scrotum reduce the rates of mutation on the Y chromosome through mutagenic metabolites (Short, 1997).
The Activation Hypothesis
... storage of sperm at a lowered temperature ensures that they undergo ‘thermal shock’ during ejaculation into the higher temperatures of the female, which increases their motility and hence the probability of a successful insemination (Gallup et al., 2009).
edited 2 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
answered 9 hours ago
user 33690
1,494417
edited 2 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
edited 2 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
edited 2 mins ago
Peter Mortensen
1554
1554
answered 9 hours ago
user 33690
1,494417
answered 9 hours ago
user 33690
1,494417
answered 9 hours ago
user 33690
1,494417
1,494417
3
Finally somebody with refferences :D nice aswer :)
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
1
@user 33690 your answer lacks female's fertility
– K Sai Harsha
7 hours ago
1
Hm, I thought that last hypothesis is closer to reality. That maybe after capacitation (which occurs in warmer environment) sperm have much shorter lifespan. Or that capacitation is limited in its time. So that it was lifespan-motility-scrotum tradeoff. But who knows.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
1
The thing is that activation is the case only for mammals (while birds do not have it). And scrotum as well. Also, wondering if difference between scrotum and body temperature is linked with sperm competition. This definitely would add points to the last hypothesis.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
2
@KSaiHarsha Well... These four hypotheses are not applicable to women. Ova have quite a long lifespan; are not influenced much by the pressure; women do not have Y chromosome, so no mutations there; ova do not move really fast. I think this answer really explains the difference between male and female fertility under temperature influence.
– rus9384
1 hour ago
 |Â
show 2 more comments
3
Finally somebody with refferences :D nice aswer :)
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
1
@user 33690 your answer lacks female's fertility
– K Sai Harsha
7 hours ago
1
Hm, I thought that last hypothesis is closer to reality. That maybe after capacitation (which occurs in warmer environment) sperm have much shorter lifespan. Or that capacitation is limited in its time. So that it was lifespan-motility-scrotum tradeoff. But who knows.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
1
The thing is that activation is the case only for mammals (while birds do not have it). And scrotum as well. Also, wondering if difference between scrotum and body temperature is linked with sperm competition. This definitely would add points to the last hypothesis.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
2
@KSaiHarsha Well... These four hypotheses are not applicable to women. Ova have quite a long lifespan; are not influenced much by the pressure; women do not have Y chromosome, so no mutations there; ova do not move really fast. I think this answer really explains the difference between male and female fertility under temperature influence.
– rus9384
1 hour ago
3
3
Finally somebody with refferences :D nice aswer :)
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
Finally somebody with refferences :D nice aswer :)
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
1
1
@user 33690 your answer lacks female's fertility
– K Sai Harsha
7 hours ago
@user 33690 your answer lacks female's fertility
– K Sai Harsha
7 hours ago
1
1
Hm, I thought that last hypothesis is closer to reality. That maybe after capacitation (which occurs in warmer environment) sperm have much shorter lifespan. Or that capacitation is limited in its time. So that it was lifespan-motility-scrotum tradeoff. But who knows.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
Hm, I thought that last hypothesis is closer to reality. That maybe after capacitation (which occurs in warmer environment) sperm have much shorter lifespan. Or that capacitation is limited in its time. So that it was lifespan-motility-scrotum tradeoff. But who knows.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
1
1
The thing is that activation is the case only for mammals (while birds do not have it). And scrotum as well. Also, wondering if difference between scrotum and body temperature is linked with sperm competition. This definitely would add points to the last hypothesis.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
The thing is that activation is the case only for mammals (while birds do not have it). And scrotum as well. Also, wondering if difference between scrotum and body temperature is linked with sperm competition. This definitely would add points to the last hypothesis.
– rus9384
2 hours ago
2
2
@KSaiHarsha Well... These four hypotheses are not applicable to women. Ova have quite a long lifespan; are not influenced much by the pressure; women do not have Y chromosome, so no mutations there; ova do not move really fast. I think this answer really explains the difference between male and female fertility under temperature influence.
– rus9384
1 hour ago
@KSaiHarsha Well... These four hypotheses are not applicable to women. Ova have quite a long lifespan; are not influenced much by the pressure; women do not have Y chromosome, so no mutations there; ova do not move really fast. I think this answer really explains the difference between male and female fertility under temperature influence.
– rus9384
1 hour ago
 |Â
show 2 more comments
up vote
0
down vote
To keep sperm viable in natural body condition they are kept in relative lower temperature than the body temperature & this can achived by scrotum.As sperm produce in testis and testis situated in scrotum outside the main part of body a pouch like structure.this arrangement going to help to achive slight lesser temperature relative to body temperature.definatly frequent hot water bath will lower the sperm count by hampering spermatogenesis as it disturb the normal physiological conditions inside the testis by increasing temperature.
Other side in female, body temperature is not going to affect the oogenesis(ovum formation process).Instead of that you will see increase in basal body temperature(about 0.5 c) during ovulation(release of ovum) that means hot water bath no issue for female fertility.
answered 10 hours ago
An J
11
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2
Hi, its good aswer, but can you add some refferences to your claims?
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
To keep sperm viable in natural body condition they are kept in relative lower temperature than the body temperature & this can achived by scrotum.As sperm produce in testis and testis situated in scrotum outside the main part of body a pouch like structure.this arrangement going to help to achive slight lesser temperature relative to body temperature.definatly frequent hot water bath will lower the sperm count by hampering spermatogenesis as it disturb the normal physiological conditions inside the testis by increasing temperature.
Other side in female, body temperature is not going to affect the oogenesis(ovum formation process).Instead of that you will see increase in basal body temperature(about 0.5 c) during ovulation(release of ovum) that means hot water bath no issue for female fertility.
answered 10 hours ago
An J
11
New contributor
An J is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
Hi, its good aswer, but can you add some refferences to your claims?
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
To keep sperm viable in natural body condition they are kept in relative lower temperature than the body temperature & this can achived by scrotum.As sperm produce in testis and testis situated in scrotum outside the main part of body a pouch like structure.this arrangement going to help to achive slight lesser temperature relative to body temperature.definatly frequent hot water bath will lower the sperm count by hampering spermatogenesis as it disturb the normal physiological conditions inside the testis by increasing temperature.
Other side in female, body temperature is not going to affect the oogenesis(ovum formation process).Instead of that you will see increase in basal body temperature(about 0.5 c) during ovulation(release of ovum) that means hot water bath no issue for female fertility.
answered 10 hours ago
An J
11
New contributor
An J is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
To keep sperm viable in natural body condition they are kept in relative lower temperature than the body temperature & this can achived by scrotum.As sperm produce in testis and testis situated in scrotum outside the main part of body a pouch like structure.this arrangement going to help to achive slight lesser temperature relative to body temperature.definatly frequent hot water bath will lower the sperm count by hampering spermatogenesis as it disturb the normal physiological conditions inside the testis by increasing temperature.
Other side in female, body temperature is not going to affect the oogenesis(ovum formation process).Instead of that you will see increase in basal body temperature(about 0.5 c) during ovulation(release of ovum) that means hot water bath no issue for female fertility.
answered 10 hours ago
An J
11
New contributor
An J is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 10 hours ago
answered 10 hours ago
An J
11
New contributor
An J is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 10 hours ago
An J
11
answered 10 hours ago
An J
11
11
New contributor
An J is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
An J is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
An J is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
2
Hi, its good aswer, but can you add some refferences to your claims?
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
2
Hi, its good aswer, but can you add some refferences to your claims?
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
2
2
Hi, its good aswer, but can you add some refferences to your claims?
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
Hi, its good aswer, but can you add some refferences to your claims?
– L.Diago
9 hours ago
add a comment |Â
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
K Sai Harsha is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Related: xkcd 550
– Peter Mortensen
4 hours ago
@PeterMortensen By two tags, ignoring the question?
– rus9384
2 hours ago