The oviduct epithelium is constituted of multiciliated and secretory cells essential for reproduction. Ford et al. show in the mouse that distal and proximal cells are distinct lineages that form before sexual determination, are maintained separately, and retain lineage identity in organoid culture.
The oviduct/fallopian tube is a tube-like structure that extends from the uterus to the ovary. It is an essential reproductive organ that provides an environment for internal fertilization and preimplantation development. However, our knowledge of its regional and cellular heterogeneity is still limited. Here, we examined the anatomical complexity of mouse oviducts using modern imaging techniques and fluorescence reporter lines. We found that there are consistent coiling patterns and turning points in the coiled mouse oviduct that serve as reliable landmarks for luminal morphological regionalities. We also found previously unrecognized anatomical structures in the isthmus and uterotubal junction (UTJ) that likely play roles in reproduction. Further, we demarcated the ampulla-isthmus junction (AIJ) as a distinct region. Taken together, the oviduct mucosal epithelium has highly diverse structures with distinct epithelial cell populations, reflecting its complex functions in reproduction.
Author contributions K.T. executed/analyzed most experiments and wrote/edited the manuscript. M.J.F. performed the sequencing analysis, some other experiments and edited the manuscript. K.H., Y.L. and N.Y. performed some experiments and edited the manuscript. A.P. provided bioinformatic support for the sequencing analysis. D.F. T-N. TN, D.H. and J.A. provided pathological review. Y.C.W prepared single cell RNA sequencing libraries for sequencing and performed QC analysis. D.B aided with analysis of single cell data. J.R supervised scRNA sequencing experiment and QC. Y.Y. conceived the project and wrote/edited the manuscript
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