Pow C S, Martin L
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Queensland, Australia.
Cell Tissue Res. 1995 May;280(2):371-81. doi: 10.1007/BF00307810.
Ovarian lymphatics of flying-foxes were traced to determine if they could transport hormones directly from ovary to ipsilateral uterine horn, thereby stimulating the localised endometrial growth which is characteristic of these animals. Intra-ovarian injections of ink and serial histological sections did not reveal any such connection. All major ovarian lymphatics and those from the cranial tip of each uterine horn drain cranially, terminating in 1 or 2 lymph nodes lying caudal to the ipsilateral kidney. For much of their course, the major ovarian lymphatics run in the adventitia of the ovarian venous sinus. This sinus encloses the coiled ovarian artery, which provides the major blood supply to the cranial end of the ipsilateral uterine horn. Some fine ovarian lymphatics run in the adventitia of the coiled ovarian artery. The enclosure of the coiled ovarian artery by the ovarian venous drainage is thought to provide the main route for transfer of steroids from ovarian vein to ovarian artery and thence to ipsilateral uterine horn. The ovarian lymphatics described here do not bypass the vascular pathway but provide an additional route for counter- or cross-current transfer of ovarian steroids to the ovarian arterial supply to the uterus.
为了确定狐蝠的卵巢淋巴管是否能够将激素直接从卵巢运输到同侧子宫角，从而刺激这些动物特有的局部子宫内膜生长，研究人员对其进行了追踪。卵巢内注射墨水并制作连续组织切片，并未发现任何此类连接。所有主要的卵巢淋巴管以及来自每个子宫角颅端的淋巴管都向颅侧引流，最终汇入位于同侧肾脏尾侧的1或2个淋巴结。在其大部分行程中，主要的卵巢淋巴管走行于卵巢静脉窦的外膜内。该静脉窦包绕着盘曲的卵巢动脉，后者为同侧子宫角颅端提供主要血液供应。一些细小的卵巢淋巴管走行于盘曲卵巢动脉的外膜内。卵巢静脉引流对盘曲卵巢动脉的包绕被认为是类固醇从卵巢静脉转移至卵巢动脉并进而到达同侧子宫角的主要途径。此处描述的卵巢淋巴管并未绕过血管途径，而是为卵巢类固醇以逆流或交叉流的方式转移至子宫的卵巢动脉供血提供了一条额外途径。
