OVUM LIKE BODIES IN THE TESTIS 575 



Summary. 



In the study of the ectopic testes of a goat, rabbit, and frog, 

 bodies were found bearing a strong resemblance to ova within 

 Graafian folhcles. However, these proved to be not ovarian 

 but the degeneration products of the germinal epithelium of 

 the seminiferous tubules. The bodies appear to be produced 

 by the gradual liquefaction of masses of desquamated cells, 

 whereby large colloid globules are formed which subsequently 

 undergo calcification. The gonads of the frog, rabbit, and 

 goat jDresent a progressive series of these degenerative changes. 



1. In the frog the bodies are still protoplasmic and are 

 formed by the liquefaction of spermatozoa. The tails of the 

 sperms give rise to a central lightly-staining area which is 

 surrounded by a broad dark ring formed by the lateral coales- 

 cence of the heads. 



2. In the rabbit degeneration has in most cases reached 

 the colloid stage. Large spherical bodies, which with Van 

 Gieson's stain give the orange coloration characteristic of 

 colloid, are found in the lumina of many of the seminiferous 

 tubules. A few are showing signs of calcification. They are 

 formed (a) by the liquefaction of protoplasmic detritus around 

 the nucleus of a degenerate spermatocyte ; (b) by the coales- 

 cence of several small colloid globules formed in the centre of 

 a mass of cell debris. 



3. In the goat the large colloid globules are undergoing 

 calcification, as is shown by a study of sections stained with 

 Mallory's and Van Gieson's stains. Only a few of the smaller 

 globules give the colloid coloration. The formation of the 

 bodies appears to be the same as in the gonad of the rabbit. 



The undescended testis of a young cat was also examined 

 microscopically. This shows a very early stage of degeneration. 

 Spermatogenesis has ceased and the syncitium in some of the 

 tubules is degenerate. Minute colloid globules which seem to 

 be derived from the hypertrophied nucleoli of spermatocytes 

 occur in the syncitial protoplasm of some of the tubules. 



R r2 



