Difference Between Vas Deferens and Fallopian Tube

The key difference between vas deferens and fallopian tube is that vas deferens is a muscular tube of the male reproductive system that transports sperms from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct while fallopian tube is a muscular tube of the female reproductive system in which fertilization takes place.

The male reproductive system comprises of different organs, including a pair of testis, a pair of vas deferens, a pair of epididymis, a pair of vasa efferentia, a urinogenital tract, a pair of seminal vesicles, a prostate gland, a pair of Cowper’s gland and a penis. Similarly, the female reproductive system has several different structures including ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina, accessory glands, and external genital organs. Vas deferens carries sperms to the ejaculatory duct while fallopian tube carries oocyte for the fertilization. There is a pair of vas deferentia in a male body while there is a pair of fallopian tubes in a female body.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Vas Deferens
3. What is Fallopian Tube
4. Similarities Between Vas Deferens and Fallopian Tube
5. Side by Side Comparison – Vas Deferens vs Fallopian Tube in Tabular Form
6. Summary

What is Vas Deferens?

Vas deferens (plural: vas deferentia) is a muscular tube-like structure that transports sperms from the epididymis to the penis and stores sperms until the time of ejaculation. Male reproductive system has a pair of vas deferentia. Each epididymis opens into a vas deferens.

The length of the vas deferens is approximately 30 cm. Its diameter is less than a quarter of an inch (5 mm). Generally, vas deferens is thicker and firmer than the rest of the strings going straight up and down. It is also less convoluted, with most of its folds at the transition between the two structures. Vas deferens is made from an inner lining of epithelial tissue (pseudostratified columnar epithelium), a middle layer of connective tissue and visceral muscle and an outer layer of adventitia (areolar connective tissue).

What is Fallopian Tube?

Fallopian tube is a part of the female reproductive system. There are two fallopian tubes in the female reproductive system. Each one is associated with each ovary. The end of the fallopian tube is near the ovary, and it expands to form a funnel-shaped infundibulum surrounded by fingerlike extensions called fimbriae. However, infundibulum does not contact the ovary. Once released from the ovary, oocyte enters the peritoneal cavity and then enters the fallopian tube.

The inner surface of the fallopian tube has cilia, which facilitate the movement of the oocyte through the tubes. Generally, the journey of the oocyte through the Fallopian tube takes about 7 days until fertilization takes place. Therefore, the fallopian tube is the place where the fertilization or the fusion of sperm and egg takes place.

What are the Similarities Between Vas Deferens and Fallopian Tube?

• Vas deferens and fallopian tube are two structures that belong to reproductive systems of humans.
• There are two vas deferentia in males and two fallopian tubes in females.
• Both are muscular tube-like structures.
• Both structures carry sex cells.

What is the Difference Between Vas Deferens and Fallopian Tube?

Vas deferens is a tiny tube through which sperms pass from epididymis to penis while fallopian tube is a slender tube through which eggs pass from an ovary to the uterus. So, this is the key difference between vas deferens and fallopian tube. Vas deferentia belong to the male reproductive system while fallopian tubes belong to the female reproductive system.

Below infographic shows more details of the difference between vas deferens and fallopian tube.

Summary – Vas Deferens vs Fallopian Tube

Vas deferens is a small muscular tube in the male reproductive system that transports sperms from the epididymis to the penis. There are two vas deferentia in the male reproductive system. In contrast, fallopian tube is a muscular tube that facilitates the movement of oocyte for the fertilization. Similar to vas deferens in the male reproductive system, there are two fallopian tubes in each female reproductive system. So, this is the summary of the difference between vas deferens and fallopian tube.

Reference:

1. “Ductus Deferens (Vas Deferens): Male Reproductive System.” Innerbody, Available here.
2. “Genital Tract.” Genital Tract | SEER Training, Available here.