BIOCHEMISTRY OF THE SEXUAL ORGANS 275 



the following table, the figures for the P2OJ; percentage of the alcohol - 

 soluble lipoids have been calculated as lecithin : — 



From observations on the ovaries and corpora lutea of pregnant 

 and non-pregnant cows Eosenbloom ^ has obtained figures from which 

 the following table has been abstracted. The figures for cholesterin, 

 which can be estimated very accurately, are very similar to those 

 obtained by the French observers. The differences in the figures for 

 the phosphatide content can be attributed largely to different methods 

 of extraction and calculation. 



The corpus luteum is therefore characterised by an abundance of 

 lipoids. The interstitial cells of the ovary contain globules of similar 

 mixtures of lipoids. 



What specific functions these lipoids subserve in- the sexual 

 organs is not knowii, although there is no lack of speculation on the 

 subject. From the morphological similarity of the cells of the corpus 

 luteum and those of the adrenal cortex, an identity of function for 

 the two organs has been postulated. But since the specific functions 

 of the cortex of the suprarenal gland are still obscure the suggestion 

 is more brilliant than helpful. The cells of the corpus luteum 

 and of the adrenal cortex resemble each other as much as they 

 resemble the cells of glandular adipose tissue,^ which occurs scattered 



1 Eosenbloom, "The Lipins of the Ovary and Corpus Luteum of the 

 Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Cow," Jour. Biol. Cliem., vol. xiii., 1912. 



" Cramer, "On Glandular Adipose Tissue, etc.," Brit. Jour. Exp. Pathol., 

 vol. i., 1920, p. 184. 



