THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 



7 



ova, and poly- or anovular follicles, are not uncommon, but they 

 are of no particular physiological interest (see Hartman, 274, 

 for full bibliography). 



TJie corpus liiteum. After ovulation the shell of the ruptured 

 follicle shrinks, and, owing to the previous rupture of capillaries, 

 becomes filled with a greater or lesser amount of blood. From 



^ 



'^C-<^ " 



f^.0* 



4% 



y-g'^A 





>, » 





•iU' 



. A' 







y\^ -^ - 



' ^/'' 





a.f. 





•i» 







5*5 





^ 



Fig. 2. — Ovary of Dog. 



a.f. atretic follicle; c.l. corpus luteum; y.g.f. young Graafian 

 follicle. 



the follicular remains, the corpus luteum, composed of large 

 glandular cells containing the so-called lutein granules, develops 

 with remarkable rapidity. In some species [e.g. cow, man) the 

 corpora lutea are coloured yellow, orange or reddish, by the 

 presence of carotene. 



Much controversy centres round the exact manner of forma- 

 tion of the corpus luteum. The probability is that it develops 

 from the remains of the follicle by enlargement of the individual 

 cells and not by cell division, though Loeb (379) has described 



