INTERSTITIAL CELLS OF TESTICLE IN DIDELPHYS. l8l 



thing of a mitochondrial character that could be demonstrated 

 in the interstitial cell at any time," a description which is rather 

 unsatisfactory. My own observations show that the chondrio- 

 somes are exceedingly numerous and that they are mostly rods, 

 short and curved. They are crowded into several heaps, some 

 of which are often seen in close proximity to the nucleus. Fig. 7, 

 drawn from a preparation fixed and stained after Benda, gives 

 what should be. considered their natural aspect, as they appear 

 exactly alike in teased preparations after injection of janus-green. 

 It is surprising how easily the interstitial cells take up the vital 

 dye, in contradistinction to the seminal cells, which it is very 

 difficult to stain in vivo: the reason for this difference is ob- 

 viously the presence of a sheath of connective tissue around the 

 seminiferous tubule. After fixation in Regaud's fluid the ap- 

 pearance is not altered; it must be stated, however, that after 

 the action of that fluid, which has a great power of penetration, 

 the chondriosomes can be well preserved all through the piece, 

 while in Benda's material they are well fixed only in a very thin 

 layer of tissue, at the periphery. The chondriosomes seem to be 

 especially labile in the interstitial cells. As usual, the figures of 

 deformation are, in the first stages, granules and vesicles. Of 

 other forms, which I am led to consider as related to the chondri- 

 osomes, I shall speak later. 



Winiwarter (1912, i) mentions the existence of transitional 

 forms between the chondriosomes and the crystals, but does not 

 conclude definitely in favor of a genetic relationship. As an 

 argument in favor of such a relationship one could bring into the 

 field the following observations of that author: In the fetus 

 chondriosomes only are present in the interstitial cells, the other 

 elements appearing afterward. I regret to say that I have no 

 information to offer on this point. 



In all my material, except when again fixed with Regaud's 

 fluid, cells are found, which contain a number of granules. 

 These granules can be stained by different methods. I am 

 strongly inclined to consider them as a secretion product, a 

 question which will be taken up again shortly. As stated, these 

 granules are not constant nor are they very abundant in one cell : 

 not to be compared with the bulky masses represented by Bouin 

 and Ancel (1903) for instance, in Fig. 7 of their paper. 



