Wolffian duct

noun

, (sometimes lowercase)

1. a duct, draining the mesonephros of the embryo, that becomes the vas deferens in males and vestigial in females.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Wolffian duct¹

1875–80; named after K. F. Wolff; -ian

Example Sentences

The Wolffian duct is the urogenital duct of the adult, and the Mullerian duct is entirely absorbed, or remains, more or less, in exceptional cases.

From Project Gutenberg

In the female, the Mullerian duct increases greatly in length-- so that at sexual maturity its white coils appear thicker and longer than the intestine-- and becomes the oviduct; the Wolffian duct is the ureter, and the mesonephros is not perverted in function from its primary renal duty.

From Project Gutenberg

The latter is usually called the Mullerian duct, after its discoverer, Johannes Muller, while the former is called the Wolffian duct.

From Project Gutenberg

In all the Gnathostomes the Wolffian duct is converted into the spermaduct, and the Mullerian duct into the oviduct.

From Project Gutenberg

The origin of the Mullerian duct is still obscure; comparative anatomy and ontogeny seem to indicate that it originates by differentiation from the Wolffian duct.

From Project Gutenberg