1 5 RISEN. [Vol. XVII. 



Paracellular Bodies. — I designate as paracellular bodies 

 numerous non-cellular bodies situated between the regular cells 

 of the testes. They appear to have been expelled from the 

 cells. Some of these bodies are lying free in the intercellular 

 space, others are more or less closely attached to the exterior 

 surface of the cells. These bodies are rarely found among the 

 polymorphous spermatogonia, or among the auxocytes, but are 

 quite numerous among the spermatocytes, the spermatids, and 

 the spermatozoa. At times we find only a few, at other times 

 we find them by hundreds. They may be divided in two 

 classes, one consisting of bodies of somewhat larger size and 

 which contain no granules. The other class comprises bodies 

 of smaller size, but which contain one or more darkly stainable 

 granules. The larger of these bodies are frequently attached 

 to the cells by thin threads (Figs. 6^, 109). The smaller ones, 

 containing the granules, are sometimes attached, but more fre- 

 quently free (Figs. 85, 88). As regards the interior structure 

 of these bodies we find that those without any granules present 

 a striated appearance, as if their interior consisted of a fine 

 network. By the use of the congo-thionin-ruthenium method 

 these fibers can be stained bluish, while the other parts re- 

 main red. 



The structure of the smaller bodies with the granules is 

 quite different. There is no sign of any fibrillar structures 

 nor of any network, but they are seen to contain from one to 

 five dark-staining granules, mostly arranged along the sides of 

 the wall of the main body. These bodies vary very consider- 

 ably in size, some being many times larger than the others. 

 If we consider the origin of these bodies, large or small, there 

 seems to be only one theory that is plausible, that they are 

 bodies expelled from the cells. A perusal of the figures re- 

 ferred to above makes this supposition also probable. We see 

 on the surface of many cells bodies exactly similar to those 

 which are free ; at the same time we find in the interior of the 

 same cells bodies of a similar appearance. From my observa- 

 tions I judge that the bodies with the granules are expelled 

 accessory archosomes, while those without granules are ex- 

 pelled fragments of the spheres. The increase in size can be 



