Studies On The Accessory Reproductive Origans In The Cock

The accessory reproductive organs of the cock consist of two parts or organs, that is the lymph-fold and the vascular body. The lymph-folds are two triangular or spindle shaped folds, lying on the outside of the round folds, one on each side. The vascular bodies which are egg shaped, flattened and red colored, lie in the inside of cloacal sphincter, one on either side of the cloacal wall, and are covered with connective tissue capsules. The vascular body consists of lymphoid tissues, and the vascular body, lymphfold and phallus are connected to one another by lymph sinuses, these organs belonging to one and the same system. The accessory reproductive organs of the cock eject a fluid similar to lymph in the following manner, and the fluid constitutes greater part of the sperm-serum in the case where repeated collections of the semen are performed. When a cock responds to sexual impulse the lymph, or a fluid similar to lymph, is separated from the blood copiously in the tissue of the vascular body, and then the lymph runs off from the hind opening of the body into the phallus and lymph-fold through the lymph sinuses connecting the vascular body with lymph-fold and phallus. Lymph pressure in the phallus increases greatly, thus. causing the erection of the phallus. The lymph which flowed into the lymph sinuses of the lymph-fold reaches the loose connective tissue underlying the c-Olumnar epithelium, and still flows out of the lymph-fold through the intercellular spaces of the epithelium. This lymph or a fluid similar to lymph ejected from lymph-fold is called transparent fluid by the writer, and it might be true that the transparent fluid contains a very small amount of secretion from the epithelial cells of lymph-fold. The vas deferens semen is ejected simultaneously with the transparent fluid, and both the fluid and the semen are ejaculated to the outside of the body along the longitudinal groove of the erected phallus. The lymph in the phallus and lymph-fold runs off within a short time, e.g., a few seconds, through the same passage flowing in the opposite direction from the phallus and lymph-fold to vascular body and finally into the lymphatic vessels lying along the A. pudendalis interna; then, the phallus reverts to its original quiescent condition and the ejection of the transparent fluid ceases. So far as the cock responds to sexual impulses, the erection of the phallus and the ejection of transparent fluid is caused every time regardless of whether the vas deferens semen is ejected or not, and in some hirds the ejections of fluids are repeated four times or more. Degeneration of the accessory organs of the cock is caused by early castration, but the organs may be recovered by androgen administration. The phallus, lymph-fold and vascular body recover their size and weight and histological appearances from the markedly degenerated state of capons to the state of normal cocks by androgen administration. And also, in the course of injection, the injected birds eject the transparent fluid as a result of recovering their function. From these evidences, the writer believes that the accessory reproductive organs of the cock are analogous in physiological points of view to the accessory reproductive glands of the mammal. The pH value of the transparent fluid is observed to be 7.9 ± 0.13 and the pH value of an ejaculated semen is influenced by the mixture rate of the transparent fluid to the vas deferens semen, and as the rate of mixture increases, the pH value of the ejaculated semen shows a shift toward alkalinity. The protein content of the transparent fluid is observed to be less than 1% and the viscosity to be about 1.1. When small amount of this fluid is mixed with the vas deferens semen, the spermatozoa increase their motility, but when considerable amount of it is mixed, the spermatozoa markedly decrease their motility. There occurs the formation of clumps made of spermatozoa in the collected semen short .time after the collection, and the clumps are various in forms according to the activity and number of spermatozoa as well as the amount of the transparent fluid added to the vas deferens semen, and the intensity of the formation of clumps furthermore depends on the number of spermatozoa and on the amount of the transparent fluid, as well, and dilute semen which is faint white in color shows highest intensity to form clumps. Some forms of clump, i.e., large and irregular-shaped or cloudy mass, are considered to be caused by the adhesion of spermatozoa to an adhesive substance which seems to arise sporadically in the semen. The adhesive substance may be generated by pmtial coagulation of the transparent fluid, the cause of coagulation being similar to that of blood. Another form of clump, a minute and spherical shaped, is considered presumably to be formed by true sperm agglutination