Elektronenoptische Untersuchungen über Transsudationsvorgänge zwischen Blut- und Lymphkapillaren im Lymphobulbus des Kopulationsorganes beim Haushahn (Gallus domesticus)

Electronmicroscopical studies of transudation between blood capillaries and lymph capillaries in the lymphobulbus of the phallus of the cockerel (Gallus domesticus) The blood capillaries of the lymphobulbus cloacae may be divided into circulatory and transudation capillaries and may be distinguished from one another and from the lymph capillaries by ten criteria. The specific structure of the wall of these capillaries permits transudation of lymph from the blood-vascular to the lymphatic system. The lymph passes through the pores and fenestrae of the transudation capillaries into the interstitium and from here by two routes into the lymphobulbus. One route is intracellular-vesicular, and the other is intercellular (between the endothelial cells of the lymph capillaries). The contraction of the striated M. sphincter cloacae during erection of the phallus presses the lymph through the ductus lymphaticus bulbospongiosus cloacae into the corpus cavernosum of the phallus. There is a relationship between the structure and functional stages of the lymphobulbus and age, and between the former and the levels of the steroid sex hormones.