?2 6 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



The Corpus Luteum Spurium 



According to Ancel and Bouin, the corpus luteum spurium 

 does not assume the characters of the corpus luteum verum and 

 has but a transitory existence. It is stated, however, that in 

 man the false corpus is similar in structure to the true corpus 

 and originates in the same way, although it has but a short life 

 and in two months has entirely disappeared. In other animals 

 also it does not appear possible to find any difference in 

 structure between the two corpora lutea. Among the Eutheria, 

 then, the corpus luteum spurium is similar to the corpus luteum 

 verum, but may not last for so long a time. The Marsupial, 

 Dasyttrus, also has the two varieties of corpora lutea which 

 cannot be distinguished in size or structure, and, moreover, 

 there does not appear to be such a marked difference in the 

 duration of the two bodies (15). 



The foregoing statements apply on the whole to the corpus 

 luteum in the Eutherian mammals, although, as has been pointed 

 out, they apply equally well to Dasyurus. According to certain 

 authors, the corpus luteum does not exist or remains rudi- 

 mentary in vertebrates whose eggs develop outside the mother 

 and in the aplacental mammals (i.e. Monotremes and Mar- 

 supials). In so far as this remark applies to the Monotremes 

 and Marsupials it is not correct, for Platypus certainly possesses 

 well-marked corpora lutea, as do also the Marsupials. In 

 Dasyurus, the only Marsupial that has been investigated as 

 yet, the corpus luteum is similar to that of a Eutherian mammal. 1 



The Nature of the Corpus Luteum 



It has been pointed out previously, but may be reiterated 

 here, that the corpus luteum has a very glandular appearance. 

 Indeed, in the fully formed structure the lutein cells strongly 

 resemble the cells of an ordinary gland in a state of secretory 

 activity and are epitheloid in origin and character. Then, too, 

 the whole body has a very efficient blood supply, by means of 

 which the blood is brought into close proximity with the lutein 

 cells. 



Many workers have remarked that the ovary, apart from the 



fact that it is the seat of origin of the female reproductive cells, 



is a structure of great importance in the metabolism of the 



animal as a whole. Knauer(io) indeed, as the result of a long 



1 This is also true of a number of other Marsupials ; vide (i6a). 



