144 THE PHYSIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION 



view that the luteal cells are the much hypertrophied epithelial 

 cells of the undischarged follicle, the connective tissue network 

 being derived from the inner layer of the theca. Sobotta de- 

 scribes the outer theca as taking no share in the ingrowth, 

 while the theca interna is stated to become entirely spent in 

 the formation of the inter-epithelial anastomosis. The hyper- 

 trophy of the epithelial cells is said to be of the nature of a 

 simple enlargement, unaccompanied by division. 



Sobotta 's conclusions in regard to the development of the 

 corpus luteum in the mouse were subsequently confirmed by 



a 



FIG. 33. Recently ruptured follicle of mouse. (From Sobotta.) 



/<?, follicular epithelium or meuubrana granulosa (somewhat hyper- 

 trophied) ; th, theca interna; a, ingrowth from same. 



him in a further investigation carried out on similar lines on the 

 corpus luteum in the rabbit. 1 Moreover, Stratz 2 published de- 

 scriptions of certain stages of corpus luteum formation in Tarsius, 

 Tupaia, and Sorex, and these agree in essential particulars with 

 those given by Sobotta ; while Honore, 3 also working on the 

 rabbit, differed only in concluding that the inter-epithelial 

 network is derived in part from the theca externa, and not 

 exclusively from the theca interna, and that the latter is 

 not entirely exhausted by the ingrowth, some part of it still 



1 Sobotta, " tiber die Bildung des Corpus Luteum beim Kaninchen." 

 Anat. Hefte, vol. viii., 1897. 



2 Stratz, Der Geschlechtsrcife Sauyethiereierstock, Haag, 1898. 



3 Honore", "Recherches sur 1'Ovaire du Lapin," Arch, de Biol., vol. xvi., 

 1900. 



