144 



BIOLOGY OF THE LABORATORY MOUSE 



fibrous connective tissue intermingled with smooth muscle fibers, project 

 among the glands and form endothelial lined cavernous spaces. When 

 these are distended, small groups of glands are widely separated from each 

 other. When they are collapsed the glandular tissue appears compact. A 

 heavy outer muscle sheath composed of striated fibers (m. bulbocavernosus) 

 involves the diverticulum. 



Penis 



Membranous urethra 



Tail and duct of bulbo- 

 urethral gland 



Urethral diverticulum 



Bulbocavernosus 

 muscle 



Fig. 73. — Sagittal section of the urethra showing the region of the bulb. Decalcified 

 section of the pelvic region. (X30.) 



Bulbo-urethral glands. — The paired bulbo-urethral glands (glands of 

 Cowper) are retort-shaped organs composed of tubulo-alveolar glands. The 

 body is partially covered by the musculus bulbocavernosus, while the tail 

 runs throughout the muscles and its duct enters into the cephalic wall of 

 the urethral diverticulum (Fig. 73). The tail is an aggregation of small 

 gland lobules covered by a connective tissue membrane. 



The body is surrounded by striated muscle fibers; inside this a very thin 

 connective tissue membrane involves the gland and, projecting inward, 

 forms the delicate inter-alveolar tissue. The tubules and alveoli are lined 

 by tall columnar epithelial cells which have small, dark staining nuclei 

 flattened against the bases of the cells. The cytoplasm stains pale blue with 



