The Transition of Peritoneal Epithelial Cells into Germ-Cells in Gallus Bankiva

In a fowl (Gallus bankiva) which possessed some male characters (comb, wattles, and male pugnacity) the ovary contained an adenoma and was atrophic. Within this effete ovary the peritoneal epithelium had begun to elaborate new testicular tissue. Certain regions outside the gonad contained metamorphosing peritoneal epithelial cells. The transition of avian peritoneal cells into germ-cells takes place in a manner similar to what has already been described in Amphibia (Gatenby). The basophil peritoneal epithelial cell, at first clear, becomes granular. Its nucleus becomes spherical and a pure nucleolus appears: the cytoplasmic granules pass from basophility to oxyphility. At this period the cells divide and the oxyphil granules gradually dissolve into a smooth oxyphil ground cytoplasm. The cells, after division, are found to be arranged in columnar manner as spermatic tubules. In each tubule a lumen appears at a later period. Attention has been drawn to the work of Dr. Crew and Miss Fell, who have already described the metamorphosis of peritoneal cells into germ-cells.