FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS 



351 



uterine tube 



epooplioron 



paroophoron 



appendix 

 vesiculosa 



ovary 



simple cuboidal or columnar epithelium, sometimes ciliated, and are 

 surrounded with muscle fibers. Occasionally there are detached solid 

 cords in their vicinity, and sometimes the tubes become cystic. Obviously 

 they correspond with the efferent ducts of the testis, and the longitudinal 

 duct, into which they empty, represents the duct of the epididymis. Some 

 of the transverse tubules, or the main duct itself, may extend into soft 

 round nodules of tissue projecting from the mesentery, to which they may 

 be attached by slender pedicles. These appendices vesiculosce correspond 

 with the appendix of the epi- 

 didymis. Frequently there 

 is a vesicular appendix en- 

 tirely separate from the 

 epoophoron, situated near the 

 fimbriated orifice of the uter- 

 ine tube, and said by Felix 

 to develop around an acces- 

 sory Miillerian duct. Al- 

 though accessory ducts have 

 not been found in the male, 

 the relations of this structure 

 to the Miillerian duct suggest 

 a comparison with the ap- 

 pendix testis. Both in the 

 female and the male the 

 appendages have been de- 

 scribed as of two sorts, con- 

 nected with the Miillerian and 

 Wolffian ducts respectively. 



vagina 



major vestibular gland 



c/iioris 



-*mim 



' vestibule 

 FIG. 353. DIAGRAM OF THE FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS. 



The paroophoron is a remnant of the Wolffian tubules corresponding with the 

 paradidymis. It was first described as nearer the uterus than the epoophoron, and 

 situated as in the diagram, Fig. 353. The tubules there shown, however, are pre- 

 sumably a part of the epoophoron; the paroophoron is now said to be on the opposite 

 side of the ovary (toward the right of the diagram), in relation with the ovarian vessels. 

 It disappears by the fifth year. 



The lower end of the Wolffian duct, which corresponds with the ductus deferens, 

 may remain as the canal of Gartner. This canal terminates near the hymen. It may 

 extend upward beside the vagina, and be enclosed in the musculature of the lower part 

 of the uterus; usually it is entirely obliterated. 



Development of the Ovary. Like the testis, the ovary is formed from the 

 middle portion of the genital ridge. The peritoneum which covers it 

 gives rise to the mass of cells in its interior, and deep within, the cells 

 become arranged in medullary cords and a rete ovarii. These are rudimen- 

 tary structures. The rete cords do not connect with the Wolffian tubules. 

 They are said to acquire lumens toward birth, so that they are bounded 



