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Henry Gray (1825–1861). Anatomy of the Human Body. 1918.

pages 1255

fibers. The lateral surface is in contact with the parietal peritoneum, which lines the ovarian fossa; the medial surface is to a large extent covered by the fimbriated extremity of the uterine tube. The mesovarian border is straight and is directed toward the obliterated umbilical artery, and is attached to the back of the broad ligament by a short fold named the mesovarium. Between the two layers of this fold the bloodvessels and nerves pass to reach the hilum of the ovary. The free border is convex, and is directed toward the ureter. The uterine tube arches over the ovary, running upward in relation to its mesovarian border, then curving over its tubal pole, and finally passing downward on its free border and medial surface.


FIG. 1162– Adult ovary, epoöphoron, and uterine tube. (From Farre, after Kobelt.) a, a. Epoöphoron formed from the upper part of the Wolffian body. b. Remains of the uppermost tubes sometimes forming hydatids. c. Middle set of tubes. d. Some lower atrophied tubes. e. Atrophied remains of the Wolffian duct. f. The terminal bulb or hydatid. h. The uterine tube. i. Hydatid attached to the extremity. l. The ovary. (See enlarged image)

Epoöphoron (parovarium; organ of Rosenmüller) (Figs. 1161, 1162).—The epoöphoron lies in the mesosalpinx between the ovary and the uterine tube, and consists of a few short tubules (ductuli transversi) which converge toward the ovary while their opposite ends open into a rudimentary duct, the ductus longitudinalis epoöphori (duct of Gärtner).

Paroöphoron.—The paroöphoron consists of a few scattered rudimentary tubules, best seen in the child, situated in the broad ligament between the epoöphoron and the uterus.
  The ductuli transversi of the epoophoron and the tubules of the paroophoron are remnants of the tubules of the Wolffian body or mesonephros; the ductus longitudinalis epoöphori is a persistent portion of the Wolffian duct.
  In the fetus the ovaries are situated, like the testes, in the lumbar region, near the kidneys, but they gradually descend into the pelvis (page 1211).


FIG. 1163– Section of the ovary. (After Schrön.) 1. Outer covering. 1’. Attached border. 2. Central stroma. 3. Peripheral stroma. 4. Bloodvessels. 5. Vesicular follicles in their earliest stage. 6, 7, 8. More advanced follicles. 9. An almost mature follicle. 9’. Follicle from which the ovum has escaped. 10. Corpus luteum. (See enlarged image)

Structure (Fig. 1163).—The surface of the ovary is covered by a layer of columnar cells which constitutes the germinal epithelium of Waldeyer. This epithelium gives to the ovary a dull gray color as compared with the shining smoothness of the peritoneum; and the transition between the squamous epithelium of the peritoneum and the columnar cells which cover the ovary is usually marked by a line around the anterior border of the ovary. The ovary consists of a number of vesicular ovarian follicles imbedded in the meshes of a stroma or frame-work.