Gartner's duct, also known as Gartner's canal or the ductus longitudinalis epoophori, is a potential

embryological Embryology (from Greek ἔμβρυον, ''embryon'', "the unborn, embryo"; and -λογία, ''-logia'') is the branch of animal biology that studies the prenatal development of gametes (sex cells), fertilization, and development of embryos and ...

remnant in human female development of the

mesonephric duct The mesonephric duct (also known as the Wolffian duct, archinephric duct, Leydig's duct or nephric duct) is a paired Organ (anatomy), organ that forms during the embryonic development of humans and other mammals and gives rise to male Sex organ, r ...

in the

development of the urinary and reproductive organs The development of the urinary system begins during prenatal development, and relates to the development of the urogenital system – both the organs of the urinary system and the sex organs of the reproductive system. The development continues as ...

. It was discovered and described in 1822 by

Hermann Treschow Gartner Hermann Treschow Gartner (born October 1785, on the island of Saint Thomas; died 4 April 1827, Copenhagen), was a Danish surgeon and anatomist. His name is associated with the discovery and description of the ''ductus epoophori longitudinalis'' (1 ...

. Gartner's duct is located in the

uterus The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', plural ''uteri'') or womb () is the organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans that accommodates the embryonic and fetal development of one or more embryos until birth. The uter ...

broad ligament The broad ligament of the uterus is the wide fold of peritoneum that connects the sides of the uterus to the walls and floor of the pelvis. Structure Subdivisions Contents The contents of the broad ligament include the following: * Reproduc ...

. Its position is parallel with the lateral

uterine tube The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', plural ''uteri'') or womb () is the organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans that accommodates the embryonic and fetal development of one or more embryos until birth. The uteru ...

and lateral walls of

vagina In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hymen ...

and

cervix The cervix or cervix uteri (Latin, 'neck of the uterus') is the lower part of the uterus (womb) in the human female reproductive system. The cervix is usually 2 to 3 cm long (~1 inch) and roughly cylindrical in shape, which changes during ...

. The paired mesonephric ducts in the

male Male (symbol: ♂) is the sex of an organism that produces the gamete (sex cell) known as sperm, which fuses with the larger female gamete, or ovum, in the process of fertilization. A male organism cannot reproduce sexually without access to ...

, in contrast, go on to form the paired

epididymis The epididymis (; plural: epididymides or ) is a tube that connects a testicle to a vas deferens in the male reproductive system. It is a single, narrow, tightly-coiled tube in adult humans, in length. It serves as an interconnection between the ...

ductus deferens The vas deferens or ductus deferens is part of the male reproductive system of many vertebrates. The ducts transport sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory ducts in anticipation of ejaculation. The vas deferens is a partially coiled tube w ...

ejaculatory duct The ejaculatory ducts (''ductus ejaculatorii'') are paired structures in male anatomy. Each ejaculatory duct is formed by the union of the vas deferens with the duct of the seminal vesicle. They pass through the prostate, and open into the ureth ...

and

seminal vesicle The seminal vesicles (also called vesicular glands, or seminal glands) are a pair of two convoluted tubular glands that lie behind the urinary bladder of some male mammals. They secrete fluid that partly composes the semen. The vesicles are 5� ...

. In

females Female (symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gametes than a male. Females a ...

, they may persist between the layer of the

broad ligament of the uterus The broad ligament of the uterus is the wide fold of peritoneum that connects the sides of the uterus to the walls and floor of the pelvis. Structure Subdivisions Contents The contents of the broad ligament include the following: * Reprodu ...

and in the wall of the

Clinical significance

These may give rise to

Gartner's duct cyst A Gartner's duct cyst (sometimes incorrectly referred to as ''vaginal inclusion cyst'') is a benign vaginal cyst that originates from the Gartner's duct, which is a vestigial remnant of the mesonephric duct (wolffian duct) in females. They are typi ...

References

External links

* * Mammal female reproductive system {{genitourinary-stub

Clinical significance

See also

References

External links