150 THE GERM-CELLS 



D. Growth and Differentiation of the Germ-cells 



I. The Oi'it))i 



{a) GnnvtJi and Xutritiou. — Aside from the transformations of 

 the nucleus, which are considered elsewhere, the story of the ova- 

 rian history of the (tg^^ is largely a record of the changes involved in 

 nutrition and the storage of material. As the primordial germ-cells 

 enlarge to form the mother-cells of the eggs, they almost invariably 

 become intimately associated with neighbouring cells which not only 

 support and protect them, but also serve as a means for the elabora- 

 tion of food for the growing egg-cell. One of the simplest arrange- 

 ments is that occurring in coelenterates, where the ^^^'g lies loose 

 either in one of the general layers or in a mass of germinal tissue, 

 and may crawl actively about among the surrounding cells like an 

 Avia:ba. In such cases (hydroids) the (t'g'g may actually feed upon 

 the surrounding cells, taking them bodily into its substance or fusing 

 with them^ and assimilating their substance with its own. In such 

 cases ( Tubiilaria, Hydra) the nuclei of the food-cells long persist in 

 the egg-cytoplasm, forming the so-called '' pseudo-cells," but finally 

 degenerate and are absorbed by the ^ZZ- ^^ would here seem as 

 if a struggle for existence took place among the young ovarian cells, 

 the victorious individuals persisting as the eggs ; and this view is 

 probably applicable also to the more usual case where the ^gg is 

 only indirectly nourished by its brethren. 



In most cases, as ovarian development proceeds, a definite associa- 

 tion is established between the Q,gg and the surrounding cells. In 

 one of the most frequent arrangements the ovarian cells form a 

 regular layer ox follicle about the ovum (Figs. 59, 79), and there is 

 very strong reason to believe that the follicle-cells are immediately 

 concerned with the conveyance of nutriment to the o\'um. A num- 

 ber of observers have maintained that the follicle-cells may actually 

 migrate into the interior of the egg, and this seems to be definitely 

 established in the case of the tunicates and mollusks (Fig. 75).^ 

 Such cases are, however, extremely rare; and, as a rule, the material 

 elaborated by the nutritive cells is passed into the o^gg either in solu- 

 tion or in the form of granular or j^rotoplasmic substance.'"^ An 

 interesting case of this kind occurs in the cycads, where, according 

 to Ikeno ('9<S), the egg-cell is connected with the surrounding cells 

 by broad protoplasmic bridges through which cytoplasmic material 

 flows directly into the egg-cell. 



Verv curious and su^-scestive conditions occur among the annelids 

 and insects. In the annelids the nutritive cells often do not form 



1 Cf. Doflein, '97. « gee Floderus, '95, and Obst, '99. » cf. p. 349. 



