ANATOMY OF THE . FEMALE ORGANS OF GENERATION 



follicle consists of a spherical cell, the ovum, closely invested by a single 

 layer of epithelium; these may be seen forming an almost continuous layer 

 near the surface of the ovary. In the deeper parts of the gland, that is to 

 say nearer the hilum, the more developed and larger follicles will be noticed. 



A, Peritoneal Coat. 



Fig-. 232.— The Ovary 

 F, Cortical Vesicles. C, Blood-vessels. G, Graafian Follicle. H. Stroma. 



Graafian Follicle, j, Germinal Spot. K, Germinal Vesicle. L, Attached border 



The fully developed or ripe follicles (size about ^ inch) are sur- 

 rounded by a fibrous wall, the " tunica fibrosa ", containing a capillary 

 plexus. This is lined by several layers of epithelium, " tunica granu- 

 losa", which in one part is 

 elevated into a little mound, 

 " discus proligerus ", in which 

 the ovum is embedded; the 

 rest of the cavity, by far the 

 greater part, is filled with an 

 albuminous fluid, " liquor folli- 

 culi ". Pathological cysts are Fig. 



frequently 



in the ovaries. 



Ovum ruptured. 2, Entire ovum, a, Zona Pellucida. 

 especially of cows and mares, I' fr^' 'f^.^y retraction of Volk. c, Vitellus or Yolk. 

 r J ' D, Germmal \ esicle. E, Germmal Spot. 



varying in size from small 



marbles to oranges. These arise in the corpora lutea, and are not to 



be mistaken for the Graafian follicles. 



The Ovum. — This is a spherical cell, just visible to the naked eye 

 (about Y20 inch), composed of the following parts: — A transparent 

 finely striated outer investment, the "zona pellucida"; within this is the 

 "vitellus", or "yolk", made up of albuminous and fatty granules consti- 



