324 



HUMAN UTERUS AND FCETAL APPENDAGES. 



thelium is considerably altered. We find places in which the cells, though 

 attached to the surrounding connective tissue, are separated from one another 

 by small fissures. In other places the cells are a little larger (Fig. 185), each for 

 the most part cleft from its fellow, and some of them loosened from the wall and 

 lying free in the cavity. Apparently the cells which are thus freed become 

 swollen, probably by imbibition, both the protoplasm and the nuclei becoming 

 enlarged (Fig. 186). The cells lie separately and almost completely fill the gland 

 cavity. They are no longer cylindrical in shape, but irregular. Their proto- 

 plasm is finely granular and stains rather lightly. The nuclei are rounded, gran- 

 ular, and with sharp outlines. In somewhat older stages one finds the cells 

 replaced by a granular material. The obvious interpretation of the appearances 



FIG. 186. HUMAN UTERUS, ONE MONTH PREGNANT. SECTION OF A GLAND FROM THE CAVERNOUS LAYER 

 WITH THE EPITHELIUM LOOSENED FROM THE WALLS. THE EPITHELIAL CELLS ARE SWOLLEN. 



described is that the glandular epithelium is breaking down and disintegrating, 

 or, in other words, passing through a special form of degeneration which is 

 highly characteristic. In later stages some of the broken-down material forms 

 hyaloid rounded concretions, which, owing to their deep staining, are somewhat 

 conspicuous. 



The formation of decidual cells has already begun in the upper or compact 

 layer (Fig. 187). They are modified connective-tissue cells, which have grown 

 in size and altered their structure. Their bodies stain deeply with eosin; the 

 nuclei are round, oval, slightly irregular in shape,, coarsely granular, and sharp 

 in outline. The cells themselves, though irregular and variable in shape, are all 

 more or less provided with processes running off in various directions. Scat- 



