UTERUS, FALLOPIAN TUBE, OVARY. 59 
UTLRUS. 
Of how many and of what layers does the uterus consist ? 
Three. A serous coat from the peritoneum covers it partly. The 
major portion of the uterine wall is composed of a thick layer of 
interlacing smooth muscle cells with a small amount of connective tissue 
among them. The inner layer is the mucous membrane, made up of 
a delicate network of fibres, between which lie a great number of 
round, spindle-shaped and branching cells. The surface of the mucous 
membrane is covered with cylindrical ciliated cells which also line the 
tortuous single or branched tubular glands that are imbedded in it. 
In the cervical portion the mucous membrane lies in folds ( plicx pal- 
mate) and is rendered firmer by its connective-tissue framework. 
The glands are fewer and are lined with short cylindrical or cuboidal 
cells. The ciliated cells from the body extend to the lower portion of 
the cervical canal, where they become continuous with the flattened 
cells lining the vagina. 
FALLOPIAN TUBE. 
Describe the three layers of which the fallopian tube is formed. 
The outer serous layer is composed of loose, fibrous, connective tissue 
with elastic fibres. Its free surface is covered with endothelial cells. 
The middle or muscular layer consists of an inner thick circular, and 
an outer thin longitudinal, layer of smooth muscle. The inner layer is 
the mucous membrane, which is thrown up into complicated folds. It 
is composed of delicate connective tissue containing many cells. Its 
surface is covered with a single layer of cylindrical ciliated cells. 
Beneath the mucous membrane is a thin layer of smooth muscle 
(muscularis mucose) and a sub-mucous coat of delicate areolar tissue, 
which binds it to the muscular wall. 
OVARY. 
What is the general structure of the ovary ? 
It consists of a dense connective-tissue stroma, in which are num- 
bers of alveolar spaces called Graafian follicles, each containing an 
ovum. The surface of an ovary is covered with a single layer of 
cylindrical epithelium (the germinating epithelium). In the outer or 
cortical portion the connective-tissue stroma is more dense than in the 
inuer or medullary portion. The bloodvessels are very abundant in 
this inner portion. Scattered, smooth muscle cells also are found in 
the medullary portion. 
