672 



A MANUAL OF ANATOMY 



In addition to the mesorchium or mesovarium, according to the sex, the 

 testis and ovary are each provided with two other peritoneal folds — superior 

 and inferior. The superior testicular fold, which ascends towards the dia- 

 phragm, is called the plica vascularis, and it contains the bloodvessels of the 

 spermatic cord. In the female it forms the ovario-pelvic ligament. The 

 inferior testicular (or ovarian) fold joins the urogenital fold at the lower part 

 of the Wolffian body, and will be presently referred to. 



After atrophy (to a large extent) of the Wolffian body the mesorchium, or 

 mesovarium, and the urogenital fold become incorporated with the Wolffian 

 mesentery (Hgament) and form the urogenital mesentery (ligament), which 

 may be regarded as an augmented secondary mesorchium. A fold of the 

 urogenital mesentery ascends to the diaphragm, and is known as the dia- 

 phragmatic ligament of the mesonephros or Wolffian body. It is not con- 

 cerned in the migration of the sexual organ, and may therefore be disregarded. 



Gubernaculum Testis. — At the lower part of the Wolffian body the uro- 

 genital fold is joined by the inferior testicular fold, as stated. After this 

 junction has taken place the urogenital fold furnishes a peritoneal fold which 

 extends to the inguinal region at a point corresponding to the situation of the 



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Fig. 291 — Diagram showing the Descent of the Testis. 

 A, First Stage ; B, Second Stage ; C, Final Stage. 



1. Testis (in Abdomea) 



2. Primitive Peritoneum (Tunica Adnata) 



3. Parietal Peritoneum 

 3'. Processus Vaginalis 



4. Subperitoneal Areolar Tissue 



5. Fascia Transversalis 



6. Internal Abdominal Ring 



7. Integument 



future internal abdominal ring. This offshoot of the urogenital fold is called 

 the plica gubernatrix or plica inguinalis. In the female this fold, as it descends, 

 becomes connected with the corresponding Miillerian duct at the level where 

 this duct fuses with its fellow to form the rudiment of the uterus and vagina. 

 Within the plica gubematrrx fold a fibro-muscular cord is developed, con- 

 sisting of connective tissue and plain muscular tissue. This cord is called 

 the gubernaculum testis. Inferiorly it is attached, at first, to the posterior 

 surface of the anterior abdominal wall in the inguinal region, at a point 

 corresponding to the situation of the future internal abdominal ring, whence 

 it, or the greater part of it, ultimately extends to the bottom of the cor- 

 responding scrotal chamber. Superiorly its attachment is twofold: (i) It is 

 principally attached to the lower part of the epididymis, at the junction of 

 the globus minor and vas deferens. (2) A portion of it ascends within the 

 inferior testicular fold to be attached to the caudal end of the testis. Accord- 

 ing to some authors the lower part of the gubernaculum testis is reinforced 

 by striated muscular fibres derived from the internal oblique and transversalis 

 abdominis muscles. These fibres, which form the so-called inguinal cone, 

 are superadtled to the fibro-muscular cord, just referred to, which constitutof- 

 the core of the gubernaculum. Superiorly these superadded fibres from the 



