INTERSTITIAL CELLS OF MAMMALIAN OVARY 63 



'theca lutein cells' — a name carrying with it the interpretation 

 of similarity but not genetic identity. Entirely comparable is 

 Pinto's Taralutein cells.' On the other hand, the homodynamy 

 or comparability of structures arising out of the ruptured and 

 unruptured follicles is emphatically denied by many ^notably of 

 course, Sabotta — and the problem on this side merges with that 

 of the origin and significance of the corpus luteum. The com- 

 parison made by Bouin and Ancel is considered subsequently. 



One of the most striking characteristics of these cells is their 

 granular content of a lipoid nature. Recognized by Pfliiger and 

 His, this has been commented on by most later writers. Degen- 

 eration products derived from the follicular epithelium or from 

 the theca; unutilized nutritive material; nutritive material for 

 the developing ova; secretions, etc.; these are among the inter- 

 pretations made of their presence, but no decisive evidence has 

 been brought forward in favor of any one of these views. A 

 yellow or orange pigment (a lipochrome) may or may not be 

 present, with or without the lipoid granules, seemingly somewhat 

 characteristic of some forms and of certain periods of life in 

 other forms. A rather close association of pigment and lipoid 

 appears to exist, the condition in the interstitial cells clearly 

 paralleling closely that in the corpus luteum. 



A number of recent writers have united the interstitial cells 

 of the ovary under the collective name of 'interstitial gland' 

 (Bouin '02, Limon '02, Regaud and Dubreuil '07, Aime '07, 

 Wallart, '07, Bianchi '07, Mulon '10, Van der Stricht '12). The 

 term has been objected to by some (e.g., Friinkel '05, Biihler 

 '06) as has the assumption of the secretory character of these 

 cells. Fellner accepts the secretory interpretation without mak- 

 ing use of the term 'interstitial gland.' It will be necessary to 

 discuss this interpretation subsequently. 



The different mammals in which ovarian interstitial cells have 

 been described and their origin and significance considered com- 

 prise a relatively large number of species, almost exclusively 

 from the orders of Chiroptera, Insectivora, Rodentia, Carni- 

 vora, Ungulata and primates — particularly man. To the ovary 

 of the rabbit, guinea-pig, bat, cat and man most attention has 



