In a prospective study of 42 patients with undescended testes 15 (36 per cent) had epididymal abnormalities. These anomalies were divided into 3 groups, including agenesis of the epididymis, atresia of the epididymis and loop or elongated epididymis. In the second group atresia could occur at the head, body or tail of the epididymis.

ExtractThree pregnant ewes and their fetuses, in utero, were infused constantly with 14 C-cortisol and 3 H-cortisol. The maternal concentrations of cortisol in plasma were 5.24f1.16 ,ug/100 ml and the fetal concentrations in plasma were 2.39%0.25 pg1100 ml. Metabolic clearance rates were estimated to have a mean of 1,397 liters124 h in the ewes and 92 liters124 h in the fetuses. The mean rates of blood production for the ewe and the fetus were 73.6 and 2.14 mg/24 h, respectively, while the mean rates of cortisol secretion for the ewe and fetus were 73.5 and 1.64 mg/24 h, respectively. Application of the theoretical model presented, allowed us to calculate the contribution the mother was making to the cortisol concentration in the plasma of the fetus and vice versa. We also calculated the ratio of relative resistance for transplacental passage of cortisol. S'eculationFrom the model proposed, it was calculated that the fetus contributed very little to the maternal cortisol levels. In two experiments, more than 60 % of the fetal levels of plasma cortisol were of fetal origin, while in another experiment, almost all the cortisol was produced by the fetus. We speculate, therefore, that a 'placental barrier' exists in sheep during pregnancy. The physiological role of this barrier remains to be determined.

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