SECRETORY FUNCTIONS IN HUMAN PLACENTA 553 



nucleus is relatively clear, and its nuclear network is indistinct. 

 It is easy to find the traces of cilia in figures 93 and 94. In fig- 

 ure 95 there are absolutely no cilia to be found, and the upper 

 third of the cell is remarkably clear and is formed by somewhat 

 large numbers of vacuoles, whose partition walls, having dis- 

 appeared in part, give them the form of very irregularly shaped 

 inner spaces. The lower two-thirds of the cell consist of re- 

 markably dark protoplasm, and has in the middle a somewhat 

 large nucleus. Within the protoplasm there are numberless 

 vacuoles of a small size and comparatively small numbers of 

 plastosomes. Both the nuclear network and nucleoli are very 

 conspicuous. And this kind of cell is to be noticed in greatest 

 numbers during the changes of the glandular epithelium. The 

 cell shown in figure 96 is very weak in staining properties, both 

 in its cell body and nucleus, and its minute structure is by no 

 means ascertained. This kind of cell is very seldom seen, and 

 may probably belong to the regressive type. 



2. The phenomena of internal secretion 



The so-called menstrual decidual cells are extremely varied 

 in their shape and size, and yet, if looked at from the minute 

 histological structure of the cell body, it will be noted that 

 plastosomes, lipoid granules, and vacuoles constitute their chief 

 components. The manner in which the latter, probably follow- 

 ing the functions of the cell, correlate with one another may be 

 easily recognized as being in extreme agreement with what is 

 in the small-type decidual cell during pregnancy, and conse- 

 quently, there is no room for doubt that the functions of the 

 cells concerned are performed in the same manner as the latter. 

 Therefore, not only am I inclined positively to assert the exist- 

 ence of internally secreting functions even in the menstrual 

 decidual cells, but also I believe that the origin of these cells 

 is found in the interstitial cells proper of the uterine mucous 

 membrane, from which origin, gradually with the rise of the 

 function of secretion, a remarkable development and increase 

 of the nucleus and cell body such as is described above are 



