794 



THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS. 



[CH. LVII. 



albuginea. Passing from its inner surface are a number of septa 

 or trabeculse, which divide the organ imperfectly into lobules. On 

 the posterior aspect of the organ the capsule is greatly thickened, 

 and forms a mass of fibrous tissue called the Corpus Highmorianum 

 (body of Highmore) or mediastinum testis. Attached to this is a much 

 convoluted tube, which forms a mass called the epididymis. This 

 receives the ducts of the testis, and is prolonged into a thick walled 

 tube, the vas deferens, by which the semen passes to the -urethra. 

 The testis is itself composed of convoluted tubes. Each of these 



Fig. 605. Section of the epididymis of a dog. The tube is cut in several 

 places, both transversely and obliquely ; it is seen to be lined by a 

 ciliated epithelium, the nuclei of which are well shown, c. connective 

 tissue. (Schofleld.) 



commences near the tunica albuginea, and terminates after join- 

 ing with others in a straight tubule, which passes into the body of 

 Highmore, where it forms a network (rete testis) by communicating 

 by branches with those of other straight tubules. From the rete 

 about twenty efferent ducts (vasa efferentia] arise, which become 

 convoluted to form the coni vasculosi, and then pass into the tube 

 of the epididymis. 



The convoluted or seminiferous tubules have the following 

 structure : each is formed externally of a thick basement mem- 

 brane, consisting of several layers of flattened cells. Next comes 

 the lining epithelium of clear cubical cells, a few of which show 



