THE COCCYGEAL GLAXD 417 



bifurcation of the carotid artery. They are composed of a vascular 

 connective tissue supporting spheroidal groups of large polyhedral 

 epithelial ceils with poorly marked boundaries and closely associated 

 with tufts of capillaries. These capillaries are of large diameter and 

 thin walled, and have been described as sinusoidal in character. 

 The amount of connective tissue and the blood-vessels increase with 

 age at the expense of the epithelial elements. This probably led to 



ft 



^...^-^ 





2 



2 



Ttt*i 



'^\ 









J 





/ 

 2 



Fig, 294, — Section through coccygeal gland. (Walker.) i. Blood space; 

 2. epithelium; 3. connective tissue. 



the earlier description of the gland as a vascular or glomerular struc- 

 ture. The gland cells themselves contain chromaffin granules (p. 

 416) and secrete a blood-pressure-raising substance apparently 

 identical with, or similar in nature to, the secretion of the adrenal 

 (p. 418). 



The Coccygeal Gland. — This is a small ductless gland which 

 lies just in front of the apex of the coccyx. It is similar in structure 

 to the preceding but has its cell groups more irregularly arranged 

 (Fig. 294). There is the same general arrangement of gland cells, 

 the same relation of gland cells to the connective-tissue framework 

 and to large sinusoidal blood-vessels, the same vascular and con- 



27. 



