360 



HISTOLOGY 



wise of the tube. Lymphocytes occur in the meshes of the tissue and lym- 

 phatic vessels have been reported. Occasionally strands of smooth muscle 

 fibers are found within the folds. 



The mucous membrane rests directly upon the tunica muscularis, and 

 Schafer considers that " the larger part of the muscular layer must prob- 

 ably be regarded as a much thickened muscularis mucosae." The muscle 

 coat consists of a thick inner circular layer and a thin outer longitudinal 

 layer of smooth muscle fibers, but both layers are resolved into coarse 

 bundles by the abundance of intermuscular connective tissue. 



Since the uterine tubes are imbedded in the broad ligaments, they are 

 not closely invested by the peritoneum. There is a considerable layer of 

 loose vascular connective tissue outside of the muscularis, and toward the 

 ovary this tissue may include sections of the tubules of the epoophoron. 

 It contains the branches of the ovarian and uterine blood vessels which 

 supply the tube. These are accompanied by lymphatic vessels and 

 nerves. The latter innervate the tubal musculature and the mucous 

 membrane. 





/Tube 



, Fundus 



UTERUS. 



The uterus is a pyriform, muscular organ, flattened dorso-ventrally. 

 It is about two and a half inches long, receiving the uterine tubes at its 

 upper end or fundus, and ending below in the vagina. It is divided into 

 fundus, corpus and cervix. The corpus and fundus 

 together have a triangular cavity, which opens 

 into the canal of the cervix through the internal 

 orifice; the canal communicates with the vagina 

 through the external orifice of the uterus. The 

 lining of the cervix presents a feather-like arrange- 

 ment of folds on its dorsal and ventral surfaces; 

 these are the plica palmate. The walls of the 

 uterus consist of a mucosa, muscularis and serosa 

 (constituting the endometrium, myometrium, and 

 perimetrium, respectively). 



The uterus is lined with simple columnar epi- 

 thelium, some areas of which are ciliated. The 

 cilia have been described as difficult to preserve, and their absence 

 from certain cells has been attributed to faulty fixation. According 

 to Gage the uterine cilia are as readily preserved as those which occur 

 elsewhere, and he finds that only one cell among fifteen or twenty is ac- 

 tually ciliated. Mucous cells are absent. The epithelium forms slender 

 tubular pits, the uterine glands, but these produce no definite secretion. 

 They are branched tortuous tubes extending through the broad mucosa 



..External 

 Orifice 



-Vagina 



FIG. 364. THE DORSAL HALF 

 OF A VIRGIN UTERUS. Two- 

 thirds natural size. (After 

 Riefiel). 



