Organ Culture Studies of Reproductive Tracts 5 



Normal Development of the Wolffian Ducts, Seminal 

 Vesicles and Prostate Glands 



In the foetus at 15+ days the Wolffian ducts are continuous 

 from the efferent ducts to the urogenital sinus. During the 

 following day there is an increase in the diameter of the ducts 

 in the genital cord, and by 17+ days there is a definite 

 dilatation in each Wolffian duct (Fig. 2, A) in the region where, 

 by 18+ days, a seminal vesicle primordium develops as a 

 dorsal outgrowth with a free tip, which continues to grow 

 anteriorly (Fig. 2, D and F) and forms a cranial flexure. The 

 Wolffian duct differentiates before birth into the coiled 

 epididymis, the ductus deferens and the ejaculatory duct 

 opening into the prostatic urethra. 



The prostate glands develop as dorsal, lateral and ventral 

 buds from the prostatic urethra and the coagulating glands 

 originate as paired buds from the dorsal region. A few pro- 

 static buds may be present at 18+ days but the primordia 

 of all the lobes of the prostatic complex and the coagulating 

 glands are developed by 19+ days (Fig. 3, A). 



Results 



The explanted reproductive tracts did not increase in length 

 but under certain conditions they continued to differentiate 

 at a somewhat slowed rate. The results from culture of 

 the youngest explants were somewhat variable and necrosis 

 occurred more frequently, particularly in tracts explanted 

 at 15+ days. However, the results were clear at all ages and 

 the older tracts survived very well in culture. 



Wolffian Ducts 



In 15 + day-old tracts that were explanted with testes (both, 

 one, or one that had been detached and replaced) the Wolffian 

 ducts persisted as continuous ducts for the longest culture 

 period of 5 days (Table 1). The two ducts were about equally 

 well maintained when only one testis was present, and the 



