Lennart Nilsson

Scanning Electron Microscopic Study of the Human Fallopian Tube. Report III. The Effect of Midpregnancy and of Various Steroids

The scanning electron microscope was used to examine fallopian tubes removed from 18 women including 3 on the low dose progestin contraceptive .5 mg megestrol acetate 3 on different combined oral contraceptives 3 fertile and 3 postmenopausal women on .05 mg ethinyl estradiol 3 women 18-20 weeks pregnant and 3 transsexuals injected monthly with 250 mg testosterone enanthate. The microscope revealed few differences in cell distribution or structure. More ciliated cells usually located on edges of plicae and fewer secretory cells were found in the ampulla and infundibulum than the isthmus and intramural portions of the endosalpinx. Subjects taking progestogen or in midpregnancy had a normal distribution of ciliated cells but the cilia appeared drooping and granulated. Both fertile and postmenopausal subjects taking estrogen had tall vigouous cilia. Only testosterone decreased the number of ciliated cells in the distal tube significantly.

Hydrosalpinx Simplex as Seen by the Scanning Electron Microscope**Supported by Swedish Medical Research Council Grant B-72-12-X-2712-04; Karolinska Institutet; the World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; The Ford Foundation, New York, N. Y.; and JEOL Inc., Tokyo, Japan.

Five cases of hydrosalpinx simplex were studied by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Comparison was made with normal fallopian tube epithelia. By light microscopy numerous ciliated cells as well as nonciliated cells were found in both hydrosalpinx and normal tubal material. In hydrosalpinx material the epithelium was found to be compressed to one-sixth its usual height. The SEM survey of large areas of hydrosalpinx did not reveal any deciliation. In fact, the mucosa of the hydrosalpinx did not differ conspiciously from that of a healthy fallopian tube. However, some nonciliated cells with collapsed areas were revealed by SEM. The significance of the compressed areas is unknown.

Scanning Electron Microscopic Study of the Human Fallopian Tube. Report I. The Proliferative and Secretory Stages**Supported by Swedish Medical Research Council Grant B72-12-x-2712-04, Karolinska Institutet Stockholm, the Swedish International Development Authority, and The Ford Foundation and JEOL Inc.

An examination of the epithelial surface of the Fallopian tubes of 10 women treated by salpingohysterectomy or salpingectomy was performed with a scanning electron microscope. Different regions of the oviduct were studied during the midproliferative and late secretory phases to note differences in the ciliated and nonciliated cells as well as the distribution of the ciliae. It was found that the ciliae were unevenly distributed with more in the fimbral end and the ampulla and fewer in the intramural portion of the tube. Cyclic changes occurred in nonciliated cells during the secretory phase and the number and size of microvilli decreased and changed appearance. The ciliae changed somewhat in superficial structure became more granulated and lost vigor. These epithelial alterations as well as the distribution of the ciliae may have importance for the transport of the fertilized ovum.(AUTHORS MODIFIED)