436 



PROF. B. T. LOWNE ON THE STRUCTUEE AND 



cells exhibit an obloug nucleus surrounded by a clear area 

 (PI. XXYIII. fig. 16). 



In females in which the ovary is still without ripe ova (fig. 17) 

 there are no corpuscles in the cells, but nuclei in an active state 

 of division. Each nucleolus or each group of nucleoli, two or even 

 four (figs. 17 and 18, i), is surrounded by a clear area. In some 

 there is a small speck of deeply stained chromatin close to the 

 nucleolus (fig. 19). 



The epithelial cells (fig. 20, e) consist of distinctly reticular proto- 

 plasm and stain readily. The largest of the contained corpuscles 

 measures 25 ^ to 30^ in diameter. A fully formed corpuscle 

 exhibits a clear outer zone (fig. 20, ^?), 4/^ in breadth, with a 

 distinct radial strialiou. This clear outer zone closely surrounds 

 a finely granular contents (c) which stains feebly, and lying in it, 

 usually near one side of the corpuscle, a clear vesicular spot (h) 

 5 in diameter, with a bright highly refringent spherule 2 5 fu in 

 its centre («). 



These corpuscles have, in point of fact, the closest possible 

 resemblance to the germ-ova of other animals. 



The relation of these corpuscles to the nuclei of the containing 

 cells must at present remain a matter of conjecture. It appears 

 to me probable that one of the nuclei of the cells in the young 

 gland, when there are two or more, develops the corpuscle whilst 

 the others remain quiescent. The nuclei both of the young and 

 mature cells stain deeply, whilst the vesicle and highly refractive 

 body in the corpuscle remain unstained. 



In several instances I have seen an appearance w^hich leads me 

 to believe that the corpuscles when mature are discharged from 

 the cells in which they are developed into the lumen of the gland 

 (fig. 20). Either empty spaces in the cells or a distinct fissure 

 surrounding the corpuscle which lies close to the lumen of the 

 gland are not uncommon. In some preparations the corpuscles, 

 or some of them, have evidently fallen out in mounting the spe- 

 cimen. 



On other occasions I have seen what appears to be a rupture 

 of the clear external zone, and a protrusion of the contents of 

 the corpuscle into the lumen of the gland. There is certainly a 

 close similarity between the contents of these corpuscles and the 

 material which fills the lumen of the gland. 



