146 THE PHYSIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION 



and Stockel/ who have examined and described developing 

 human corpora lutea. Moreover, His,^ KolUker,^ and Paladino * 

 have reiterated their adherence to von Baer's hypothesis since 

 the pubhcation of Sobotta's work. 



It is remarkable, however, that none of the supporters of 

 this hypothesis appear to have examined the growing corpus 

 luteum in all its stages of development, while in the case of 

 several of the accounts it is not clear whether the structures 

 described were not in reahty atretic folhcles — that is to say, 



Fig. 35. — Late stage in formation of corpus luteum of mouse. (From 

 Sobotta.) Thecal ingrowths are numerous. The cavity of the follicle 

 is not yet iilled in. 



follicles which had undergone degenerative changes without ever 

 being discharged. Thus, the words used in a description given 

 by Clark seem to indicate that this author was dealing with the 

 degenerative epithelial cells of an atretic follicle. It seems not" 

 impossible also that the young human " corpus luteum " de- 

 scribed by Doering was a degenerate folUcle ; while KoUiker's 

 opinion that the corpus luteum is an entirely connective tissue 

 structure appears to have been founded on the assumption that 



• Stockel," Ueber die Cystiche Degeneration der Ovarien bei Blasenmole," 

 Sep. Abdruck aus der Festschrift fiir Fritsch. 



2 His, Discussion, Verhand. d. Anat. Gesell,, in Tiibingen, 1899. 

 ^ Kolliker, " Ueber Corpora Lutea Atretica bei Saugethieren," Verhand. 

 d. Anat. Oesell., in Kiel, 1898. 



* Paladino, "Per la Dibuttata Questione sulla Esenza del Corpo Luteo," 

 Anat. Anz., vol. xviii., 1900. 



