THE UTERINE TUBES—THE UTERUS 599 
cord. The lymph vessels pass to the lumbar glands. The nerves are derived from 
the sympathetic system through the renal and aortic plexuses. They accompany 
the arterial branches. 
THE UTERINE TUBES 
The uterine or Fallopian tubes (Tub uterine) act as excretory ducts of the 
ovaries, since they convey the ova from the reproductive glands to the uterus. 
They are not, however, in direct continuity with the glands, but rather partly in 
contiguity with, and partly attached to, them.! They are two flexuous tubes, 
eight to twelve inches (ca. 30 to 20 em.) long, which extend from the extremities 
of the uterine cornua to the ovaries. The tube is very small at its uterine end 
(ca. 2-3 mm. in diameter), but toward the ovary it widens considerably (4-8 mm. 
in diameter), forming the ampulla tubze. Each is enclosed in a peritoneal fold, 
derived from the lateral layer of the broad ligament, and termed the mesosalpinx. 
This largely covers the lateral aspect of the ovary, and forms with it and the broad 
ligament a pouch called the bursa ovarica. The uterine extremity (Extremitas 
uterina) of the tube communicates with the cavity of the cornu by a minute orifice, 
the ostium uterinum tube. The ovarian extremity is expanded and somewhat 
funnel shaped, and is therefore termed the infundibulum tube uterine. The 
margin of the latter is slit into irregular processes, the fimbriz, some of which, the 
fimbrie ovarice, are attached in the ovulation fossa. About the middle of the 
infundibulum is a small opening, the ostium abdominale tube, by which the tube 
communicates with the peritoneal cavity. The ovarian extremity of the tube 
appears normally to be applied to the ovary, so that the extruded ova pass into it 
and are conveyed to the uterus.” 
Pedunculated cysts, the hydatides terminales,? are often found on one or more of the 
fimbriz. In the mesosalpinx are blind flexuous tubules, which constitute the parodphoron, a 
remnant of the Wolffian body. They are most evident in the young adult, and tend to disappear 
with creasing age. Not uncommonly they give rise to cysts. 
Structure.—The tube is covered externally by a serous coat formed by the 
mesosalpinx. The serous membrane is continued on the fimbrise, and meets the 
mucous lining on them. The fibrous adventitia is ‘continuous with the fibrous 
lamina of the broad ligament. The muscular coat consists chiefly of circular 
fibers, outside of which there are longitudinal fibers derived from the broad liga- 
ment; the thickness of the muscular coat diminishes toward the ovarian extremity. 
The mucous coat is thin and is much plicated. The folds (Plice tubariw) are 
chiefly longitudinal, but in the wide part of the tube (Ampullz tubs) they are very 
complex, so that on cross-sections the spaces between the folds may be mistaken for 
branched tubular glands. The folds are continued on to the fimbriew. The epithe- 
lium is a single layer of columnar ciliated cells, the cilia producing a current directed 
toward the uterus. At the ovarian extremity this epithelium passes gradually into 
the squamous type of the serous coat. 
Vessels and Nerves.—The arteries are derived from the utero-ovarian artery. 
The veins are satellites of the arteries. The lymph vessels pass with the ovarian 
vessels to the lumber glands. The nerves have a similar origin to those of the 
ovary. 
THE UTERUS 
The uterus is a hollow muscular organ, which is continuous with the uterine 
tubes anteriorly and opens into the vagina posteriorly. It is situated chiefly in the 
? The tubes may be regarded, both in origin and structure, as prolongations of the uterus. 
*The arrangement is the only exception to the general rule that the serous cavities are 
closed. In this case the mucous membrane of the infundibulum is continuous with the adjacent 
peritoneum, a persistence of the embryonic relations of the Millerian duct. 
° Also known as hydatids of Morgagni. 
