386 



THE MALE EEPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 



the spermatic artery, veins, and nerve plexus, the vessels of the 

 pampiniform plexus, and the paradidymis or organ of Giraldes. 

 The whole is invested by a reflection of the tunica vaginalis. 



The pampiniform plexus is a considerable group of venous 

 spaces, usually completely collapsed after death, which are char- 

 acterized by very thick, firm, fibro-muscular walls. The vessels are 

 embedded in dense connective tissue, and the whole plexus in 

 general appearance somewhat resembles the erectile tissues. 



FIG. 313. THE BLOOD VESSELS OF THE PAMPINIFORM PLEXUS OF A RABBIT. 

 Hematein and eosin. Photo, x 70. 



The paradidymis consists of a variable number of tubules which 

 are lined by columnar epithelium and are regarded as fetal rem- 

 nants of the Wolffian duct. They occur in relation with the vas 

 deferens just above the level of the globus major of the epididymis. 



THE SEMINAL VESICLES 



The walls of the seminal vesicles consist of a thin outermost 

 coat of connective tissue in which are many small ganglia, a mus- 

 cular coat similar to that of the vas deferens but much thinner, 

 and a characteristic mucosa. The tunica propria of the mucous 

 membrane is a thin layer of delicate cellular connective tissue 

 which loosely attaches the lining epithelium to the muscular coat. 

 The surface of the mucosa presents numerous folds which not only 

 form longitudinal rugae but also possess an intricate network of 

 secondary ridges which are both longitudinal and transverse in 

 direction. This peculiar arrangement results in the appearance 



