THE MALE ORGANS OF GENERATION. 



229 



Transversely striated muscular fibres are also met with in 

 the prostate, both anterior and posterior to the urethra, ex- 

 tending into the cortical substance, and between the glandular 

 structure in the interior of the gland. 



The blood-vessels of the organ come from the large trunks 

 surrounding it ; they pass into its structure and form a reticu- 

 lated capillary system around the glandular substance. 



Medullated nerve-fibres are found surrounding the cortex 

 in connection with groups of oval gariglionic centres. Paci- 

 nian bodies are also ob- 

 served in the cortex of the 

 prostate, and in its interior 

 are small medullated nerve- 

 fibres which form a reticu- 

 lum. 



A peculiar structure is 

 found in the upper and pos- 

 terior part of the prostate. 

 It has the appearance of a 

 duct, with walls resembling 

 an artery, in so far as it 

 consists of an internal longi- 

 tudinal, a middle circular, 

 and an external longitudi- 

 nal coat. The middle coat is composed mostly of smooth mus- 

 cular elements, while the external and internal coats are only 

 partly made up of them. The interior of this structure is filled 

 with a rich vascular network, pigment particles, and smooth 

 muscular fibres. 



The vesicula prostatica, which forms a cul-de-sac in the 

 middle of the prostate, beneath the middle lobe, opening by a 

 duct at the summit of the colliculus semmalis, possesses a 

 fibrous wall in which there are smooth muscular cells and is 

 surrounded by a thin layer of cavernous tissue ; it is lined by 

 a laminated epithelium, into which small conical papillae pro- 

 ject ; small branched and tortuous glands are also found open- 

 ing into its cavity. 



The testicles are glandular organs which secrete the sper- 

 matic fluid, and are in the male organism the sexual represen- 

 tatives of the ovaries in the female. 



FIG. 105. Transverse section through the central 

 glandular substance of the prostate. From an adult. 

 Klein. 



