The works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 3 (of 4) : $b A treatise on comparative embryology: VertebrataBalfour, Francis M. (Francis Maitland)
Science
The works of Francis Maitland Balfour, Volume 3 (of 4) : $b A treatise on comparative embryology: Vertebrata
Balfour, Francis M. (Francis Maitland)
Embryology; Zoology
Insectivora. In the Mole (Talpa) and the Shrew (Sorex), the foetal
membranes are in the main similar to those in the rabbit, and a
deciduate discoidal placenta is always present. It may be situated
anywhere in the circumference of the uterine tube. The allantoic
cavity persists (Owen), but the allantois only covers the placental
area of the chorion. The yolk-sack is persistent, and fuses with the
non-allantoic part of the subzonal membrane; which is rendered
vascular by its blood-vessels. There would seem to be (Owen) a small
decidua reflexa. A similar arrangement is found in the Hedgehog
(Erinaceus Europæus) (Rolleston), in which the placenta occupies the
typical dorsal position. It is not clear from Rolleston's description
whether the yolk-sack persists till the close of foetal life, but it
seems probable that it does so. There is a considerable reflexa which
does not, however, cover the whole chorion. In the Tenrec (Centetes)
the yolk-sack and non-placental part of the chorion are described by
Rolleston as being absent, but it seems not impossible that this may
have been owing to the bad state of preservation of the specimen. The
amnion is large. In the Cheiroptera (_Vespertilio_ and _Pteropus_),
the yolk-sack is large, and coalesces with part of the chorion. The
large yolk-sack has been observed in Pteropus by Rolleston, and in
Vespertilio by Owen. The allantoic vessels supply the placenta only.
The Cheiroptera are usually uniparous.
Simiadæ and Anthropidæ. The foetal membranes of Apes and Man, though
in their origin unlike those of the Rodentia and Insectivora, are in
their ultimate form similar to them, and may be conveniently dealt
with here. The early stages in the development of these membranes in
the human embryo have not been satisfactorily observed; but it is
known that the ovum, shortly after its entrance into the uterus,
becomes attached to the uterine wall, which in the meantime has
undergone considerable preparatory changes. A fold of the uterine wall
appears to grow round the blastodermic vesicle, and to form a complete
capsule for it, but the exact mode of formation of this capsule is a
matter of inference and not of observation. During the first fortnight
of pregnancy villi grow out, according to Allen Thomson over its whole
surface, but according to Reichert in a ring-like fashion round the
edge of the somewhat flattened ovum, and attach it to the uterus. The
further history of the early stages is extremely obscure, and to a
large extent a matter of speculation: what is known with reference to
it will be found in a special section, but I shall here take up the
history at about the fourth week.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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