Part 61

The clear-cut line between the albumin-secreting portion and the isthmus is partly due to a zone in which the long tubular glands are lacking. The core of the folds of mucous membrane in this zone contain much more connective tissue. The cells are both ciliated and unicellular. The rest of the histological structure of the isthmus is the same as that of the albumin-secreting portion.

The function of the isthmus is to secrete, or to form, the shell membrane, the membrana testacea.

The fourth division of the oviduct is the uterus, or the shell-gland portion (Fig. 60, C). There is no clear line of demarcation between the isthmus and shell-gland portion, the walls gradually expanding. In this region the folds of mucous membrane become leaf-like and of considerable length, extending into the lumen, thus affording a greater cellular surface. The same coats of the duct are present here as in other parts; but the outer longitudinal muscular layer is thicker and possesses more strength. The quantity of connective tissue is about the same. The glands are of a tubular type and the same two varieties of epithelial cells are found here as elsewhere, namely, the ciliated high columnar and the unicellular mucous variety.

In the active glandular cells of the shell-forming region the nuclei are small, dark staining, and lie toward the center of the cell. The chromatin granules and nucleoli take on a comparatively deep basic stain, but they do not show the intense stain found in the albumin and the isthmus region. The cytoplasm of the uterine tubular glands does not present as heavy a granular appearance as that of the albumin portion. These cells are diffusely granular, the granules appearing of one size and taking the stain faintly. The function of this portion is to secrete, or form, the hard calcareous covering which has been described at the beginning of this section.

The fifth division of the oviduct is the vagina. There is located, at the juncture of the shell-gland portion with the vagina, a strong sphincter muscle. The vagina is that constricted portion of the oviduct extending from this muscle to the cloaca. The mucous membrane forms low narrow folds with secondary folds, which appear continuous with those of the shell-gland portion. The core of these folds is composed of connective tissue. The vagina in the hen of average size measures from 12 to 13 centimeters long (Surface). The inner or circular muscular layer is well developed; it is much thicker than in any other part of the oviduct. This extra development gives the power necessary to successfully expel the egg. The outer longitudinal layer is not so well developed; its bundles are scattered throughout the connective-tissue layers. The egg is caused to move along in the oviduct by a successive series of contractions of the circular muscular fibers posterior to it. There are no tubular glands in this portion, but a simple layer of high ciliated columnar epithelium, and some goblet, or mucous cells. The cells on the surface generally are long and slender; in the grooves between the mucous folds the cells are shortest, reaching their greatest length at the tops of the folds.

The function of the vagina is the secretion, or formation, of the outer shell cuticle commonly called the bloom, and also in certain breeds, as indicated above, the tint.

The cloaca furnishes a passage way from the vagina to the external world by way of the anus. The walls of the cloaca contain glands.

=The Ligaments of the Oviduct.=—It is held in position by two ligaments, one dorsal and one ventral. The dorsal ligament of the oviduct is formed by a double layer of peritoneum with a very small amount of connective tissue interposed. The peritoneum is also reflected over the oviduct. The ventral ligament of the oviduct is narrower than the dorsal, but is similarly constructed. Both ligaments are rather veil-like in appearance. During the first four or five months of the growth of the young female fowl the development of the oviduct and its ligaments is in proportion to that of the body. With the elongation that takes place about the time of functionation, as described above, the ligaments enlarge in proportion to the enlargements of the oviduct. The dorsal ligament maintains a line of attachment to the body wall from the caudal end of the body cavity to the fourth thoracic rib. The ventral ligament elongates only slightly during this developing period. It becomes thicker and stronger and early develops a muscular coat. It also grows in width except at the caudal end. At this point the ligament is simply a mass of muscular tissue of the smooth or involuntary type. These ligaments are fan-shaped.

The muscle fibers of the dorsal ligament of the laying hen, have their origin in a line near the medial side of the dorsal margin. At this point the bundles of fibers are quite thick, but are spread out thinly toward the margin of the oviduct. Frequent anastomoses are noted. The muscular fibers become continuous with the circular ones of the oviduct.

The ventral ligament of the oviduct of the laying hen is largely a muscular cord 3 to 6 centimeters in diameter. The caudal end is thicker, becoming gradually thinner toward the anterior portion. The bundles of muscular fibers extend toward the oviduct blending with the circular fibers of that viscus. The ligaments terminate anteriorly in such a manner that they aid in forming the serous ovarian pocket, which guides the yolk into the fimbriated portion, or funnel, of the oviduct. The walls of the ovarian pocket are formed by the left abdominal air-sac, a part of the intestine, and the mesentery. The dorsal portion is formed by the roof of the abdominal cavity, and the ventral portion is formed by the dorsal wall of the air-sac. The medial, the anterior, and the lateral limit of the pocket are formed by a fusion of the wall of the air-sac to the mesentery and to the body wall. Posteriorly, the wall consists of the transverse part of the small intestine and the caudal portion of the left cæcum with their attached mesentery.

THE DUCTLESS GLANDS

These glands do not possess excretory ducts. They furnish materials which are added to the blood or lymph as it passes through them. The material from each gland is known as an internal secretion, or hormone. Some of these secretions are powerful materials and influence profoundly the body nutrition. The ductless glands are usually given as follows: the spleen, the lymph glands, the pineal gland, the pituitary body, the thyroid gland, the thymus gland, the adrenal glands, and the parathyroids. The spleen, the pituitary, the pineal, and the lymph glands are described in other sections.

=The Thyroid Gland= (Fig. 21, No. 16). Location.—The thyroid gland lies on the ventral side of the carotis communis at a point where the carotis communis touches the jugular vein, which is about the point of origin of the vertebral artery.

Shape.—The thyroid gland is small, oval or somewhat roundish, and red or rose-colored.

Structure.—The thyroid gland has a fibrous capsule, which sends into the interior septa which divide it into acini. These acini are closed and contain a fluid. The thyroid is a ductless gland. Short arteries from the carotis enter this gland, and some large veins connect it with the jugular vein. The lymph vessels which lie along the neck are closely connected with it and receive twigs from the gland. The minute lymphatic capillary endings are found in its septa and in its capsule. The acini are lined with a single or a double row of cuboidal secreting cells. There are two kinds of cells, namely, secreting and resting cells. The actively secreting cells secrete colloid.

The =parathyroids= consist of two small bodies attached to the lower pole of the thyroid.

=The Thymus Gland= (Fig. 47, No. 10).—The thymus gland is an organ of fetal and early baby chickhood. It soon undergoes retrogressive changes into fat and connective tissue. It is of epithelial origin, being formed in fetal life from the entodermal cells of the dorsal end of the throat fissure.

Location.—The thymus gland lies anterior to the thyroid, the latter lying the deeper.

Shape.—The thyroid consists of two lobes, which are united by connective tissue, and appears as a loop-like acinous gland lying along the neck and near the region of the bronchi and the jugular veins with fibrous extensions toward the head.

Structure.—The gland lobes are divided into lobules, which consist of a cortical and a medullary portion. The cortex consists of nodules of compact lymphatic tissue similar to those found in the lymph glands. These occupy the chambers formed by the septa of connective tissue. In the medulla there are a number of spherical, or oval bodies composed of concentrically arranged epithelial cells. These are known as Hassall’s corpuscles, and represent only the remains of the original glandular epithelium. They are characteristic of the thymus gland. The thymus appears to be a type of lymph organ. Lymph vessels are rare; a few blood-vessels on the upper side form capillary nets.

=The Adrenal Gland= (Fig. 54, F). Location.—The adrenal gland, often called the suprarenal capsule, lies just anterior to the front part of the anterior lobe of the kidney, adjacent to the testicles in the male and to the ovary in the female. It is loosely attached by connective tissue to the posterior aorta and to the vena cava.

Shape.—It is yellowish-brown or reddish-pink in color, small, and of irregular formation.

Structure.—The adrenal gland consists of a cortical and a medullary portion, although these two parts are not distinctly marked. The cortical portion has columns which extend deeply into the gland, and the medullary portion sends columns into the cortical portion. Therefore, the two substances, lying side by side, form a cord-like structure.

It is probable that the cortical portion is derived from the ingrowths of the peritoneum, and the medullary cords from the sympathetic ganglion.

The cells are cylindrical or polygonal in shape, with an eccentric substance between the columns. The cords, or columns, form between them, elongated channels which extend into the interior of the gland and end as blind or cæcal extremities. Large ganglionic nerve cells belonging to the sympathetic system occur near the surface of the gland. The blood-vessels are not well developed in the interior of the gland but are numerous and of good size in the outer parts. Lymph vessels are also present.

Function.—The adrenals are ductless glands. They secrete an internal secretion, or hormone, which influences the tonus of the blood-vessels. An extract from these glands is called adrenalin.

THE RESPIRATORY APPARATUS (Figs. 50 and 61, A)

Owen says: “Notwithstanding the extent and activities of the respiratory function in birds, the organs subservient thereto manifest more of a reptilian than of the mammalian type of formation.”