OHAPTEE XXI 

 THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 



THIS system includes the ovaries, oviducts, uterus, vagina, and 

 external genitals. All of these organs are concerned in the repro- 

 ductive functions, produce the germ cell or ovum and provide a 

 suitable site for its maturation and fertilization, and for the later 

 development of the resulting embryo. 



THE OVAKY 



The ovary is a solid ovoid body, attached to the margin of the 

 broad ligament by a short, thick, connective tissue pedicle, the 

 mesovarium, which transmits the blood vessels with which the 

 ovary is richly supplied. At its ovarian attachment the mesova- 

 rium becomes continuous with the connective tissue stroma of the 

 ovary. The indentation which is thus produced is known as the 

 Jiilum. 



The substance of the ovary is divisible into a central medulla 

 which reaches the surface only at the hilum, and a peripheral cor- 

 tex which invests all other portions of the medulla and is in turn 

 clothed by a layer of germinal epithelium, a continuation of the 

 peritoneal epithelium, whose cells in this area are peculiar in that 

 they possess a typically cuboidal shape, and are thus sharply dis- 

 tinguished from the flattened endothelial cells of the surrounding 

 portions of the peritoneum. 



THE MEDULLA of the ovary consists of a fibro-muscular 

 stroma and large numbers of blood vessels. Its arteries are char- 

 acterized by their spirally tortuous course and thick muscular 

 walls; its veins are numerous and large, and their endothelium 

 rests almost directly upon the fibro-muscular stroma. This por- 

 tion of the ovarian stroma consists of fibrous connective tissue 

 in which are elastic fibres and considerable numbers of smooth 

 muscle cells. The connective tissue is richly supplied with cellu- 

 lar elements, most of which are ovoid or fusiform in shape. 



