In human anatomy

Anatomy

Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...

, the genitofemoral nerve originates from the upper part of the lumbar plexus of spinal nerves. Its roots are L1 and L2 (lumbar).

The genitofemoral nerve is responsible for both the efferent

Efferent

Efferent is an anatomical term with the following meanings:*Conveying away from a center, for example the efferent arterioles conveying blood away from the Bowman's capsule in the kidney. Opposite to afferent....

 and afferent

Afferent

Afferent is an anatomical term with the following meanings:*Conveying towards a center, for example the afferent arterioles conveying blood towards the Bowman's capsule in the Kidney. Opposite to Efferent.*Something that so conducts, see Afferent nerve fiber...

 limbs of the cremasteric reflex

Cremasteric reflex

The cremasteric reflex is a superficial reflex observed in human males.This reflex is elicited by lightly stroking the superior and medial part of the thigh...

. The ilioinguinal nerve

Ilioinguinal nerve

The ilioinguinal nerve is a branch of the first lumbar nerve . It separates from the first lumbar nerve along with the larger iliohypogastric nerve....

 (L1) is also involved in the afferent limb of the reflex.

It emerges on the anterior surface of the psoas major muscle and divides into two branches:

• The femoral branch, or lumboinguinal nerve
  Lumboinguinal nerve
  The lumboinguinal nerve descends on the external iliac artery, sending a few filaments around it, and, passing beneath the inguinal ligament, enters the sheath of the femoral vessels, lying superficial and lateral to the femoral artery.It pierces the anterior layer of the sheath of the vessels and...
  
  , supplies skin anterior to the upper part of the femoral triangle
  Femoral triangle
  The femoral triangle is an anatomical region of the upper inner human thigh.-Boundaries:It is bounded by:* the inguinal ligament* the medial border of the adductor longus muscle...
  
  
• The genital branch
  Genital branch of genitofemoral nerve
  The genital branch of the genitofemoral nerve arises from the ventral primary divisions of L1 and L2 spinal nerve roots, passes outward on the Psoas major, and pierces the fascia transversalis, or passes through the deep inguinal ring; it then descends behind the spermatic cord to the scrotum,...
  
  :
  • in males, it travels through the inguinal canal
    Inguinal canal
    The inguinal canal is a passage in the anterior abdominal wall which in men conveys the spermatic cord and in women the round ligament. The inguinal canal is larger and more prominent in men.-Site:...
    
    , along with the spermatic cord
    Spermatic cord
    The spermatic cord is the name given to the cord-like structure in males formed by the ductus deferens and surrounding tissue that run from the abdomen down to each testicle.-Contents of spermatic cord:...
    
    , and supplies the cremaster muscle
    Cremaster muscle
    -Contraction:Its function is to raise and lower the testes in order to regulate the temperature of the testes and promote spermatogenesis. Contraction may also occur during arousal which can prevent injury to the testicles during sex....
    
     and the scrotal skin
  • in females, it ends in the skin of the mons pubis
    Mons pubis
    In human anatomy or in mammals in general, the mons pubis , also known as the mons veneris or simply the mons, is the adipose tissue lying above the pubic bone of adult females, anterior to the pubic symphysis...
    
     and labia majora
    Labia majora
    The labia majora are two prominent longitudinal cutaneous folds that extend downward and backward from the mons pubis to the perineum and form the lateral boundaries of the pudendal cleft, which contains the labia minora, interlabial sulci, clitoral hood, clitoral glans, frenulum clitoridis, the...
    
    

External links

- "Inguinal Region, Scrotum and Testes: Layers of the spermatic cord" - "Muscles and nerves of the posterior abdominal wall."