THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS. 



2 3 I 



increasing as the sections approach the fimbria, owing to the addition 

 of numerous secondary plications which there exist. The mucous 

 membrane of the 

 oviduct consists of a 

 fibro-elastic tunica 

 propria and a. single 

 layer of columnar 

 ciliated epithelial 

 cells, whose ciliary 

 wave sweeps from 

 the fimbria towards 

 the uterine end of 

 the tube. All parts 

 of the canal are lined 

 with ciliated cells, in- 

 cluding the inner sur- 

 face of its expanded 

 ovarian end; at the 

 free edge of the lat- 

 ter the ciliated co- 

 lumnar cells of the 

 tubal surface are re- 

 placed by the flat 

 endothelial plates of the peritoneum which invests the outer aspect 

 of the tube. 



The outer layers of the tubal mucous membrane contain scattered 

 longitudinal bundles of involuntary muscle, which represent a 

 poorly-developed muscularis mucosae ; outside these a thin layer of 

 fibrous connective tissue answers to a submucosa, and contains the 

 larger blood-vessels and the lymphatics. Glands are absent within 

 the mucous membrane of the oviduct. 



The muscular tunic consists of a principal inner circular layer 

 of non-striped muscle and a slightly developed outer layer consist- 

 ing of an incomplete zone of longitudinal bundles. 



The serous coat consists of the fibro-elastic stroma and the endo- 

 thelial plates of the general peritoneum. 



The blood-vessels of the oviduct are branches from the ovarian 

 and uterine arteries and the corresponding veins ; the arteries pos- 

 sess a tortuous course and extend along the bases of the folds of 

 the mucosa ; from these vessels smaller twigs arise, which break up 

 into the capillary net-works destined for the various coats. 



The larger lymphatics accompany the blood-vessels and commu- 

 nicate with the lymph-spaces within the deeper layers of the mucosa. 



The nerves, derived from the ovarian and uterine plexuses, con- 



Section of human oviduct near fimbria ; a, lumen of tube en- 

 croached upon by complicated folds ; b, layer of ciliated columnar 

 epithelium ; c, fibrous tissue supporting plications ; d, circular layer 

 of muscle ; e, longitudinal bundles of muscle-cells ;f, external fibrous 

 tissue. 



