Methods for Studying Oviductal Physiology

Blandau, Richard J.; Boling, John L.; Halbert, Sheridan A.; Verdugo, Pedro

doi:10.1159/000301513

Cited by 22 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 18 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The microscope stage was tem perature-controlled at 37 °C. A photoelectric sensor mounted in the microscope eye piece was used to measure the rate of cilia beating [3]. The output of the photo electric sensor was recorded with an oscillograph and the records analyzed by hand to determine the cilia beat frequency.…”

Section: Ciliary Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

An Analysis of the Mechanisms of Egg Transport in the Ampulla of the Rabbit Oviduct

Halbert¹,

Tam²,

Adams³

et al. 1976

Gynecol Obstet Invest

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ampullary transport of supravitally stained cumulus egg masses was studied in intact oviducts of anesthetized rabbits whose abdomens had been opened for observation. Following observations of normal transport, muscular activity of the ampulla was inhibited pharmacologically with Acepromazine®, a preanesthetic tranquilizer. With muscle contractions blocked, egg transport continued but in a dramatically altered fashion; in the final two thirds of the ampulla the motion changed from rapid to-and-fro movements to a slow uniform prouterine movement which was attributed to ciliary activity. However, the net velocity of transport did not change when the smooth muscle was inhibited indicating that muscle contractions are at least unnecessary and perhaps ineffective for ampullary egg transport in the rabbit.

show abstract

Section: Ciliary Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ciliary transport was studied in vitro by using procedures developed previously in our laboratories [3]. An oviduct from an ovulatory rabbit was slit open longi tudinally along the antimesosalpingeal border with iridectomy scissors.…”

Section: Ciliary Transport In Vitromentioning

confidence: 99%

An Analysis of the Mechanisms of Egg Transport in the Ampulla of the Rabbit Oviduct

Halbert¹,

Tam²,

Adams³

et al. 1976

Gynecol Obstet Invest

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Regulation of ciliary motility is therefore important to facilitate the meeting of gametes and the subsequent transport of the fertilized ovum to its implantation site. Several factors have been reported to affect tubal ciliary motility including progesterone (P 4 ) [3-6], estradiol [3], interleukin 6 [7], prostaglandins [8,9], angiotensin II [10] and Ca 2+ [11]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid effects of progesterone on ciliary beat frequency in the mouse fallopian tube

Bylander

Nutu

Wellander

et al. 2010

Reprod Biol Endocrinol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundThe physiological regulation of ciliary beat frequency (CBF) within the fallopian tube is important for controlling the transport of gametes and the fertilized ovum. Progesterone influences gamete transport in the fallopian tube of several mammalian species. In fallopian tubes isolated from cows, treatment with 20 micromolar progesterone caused a rapid reduction of the tubal CBF. The aims of this study were to establish methodology for studying fallopian tube CBF in the mouse, as it is an important model species, and to investigate if progesterone rapidly affects the CBF of mice at nM concentrations.MethodsA method to assess tubal CBF of mice was developed. Fallopian tubes were dissected and the tissue was cut in small pieces. Tissue samples with moving cilia were located under an inverted bright field microscope and held still against the bottom of a petri dish by a motorized needle system. Images were acquired over 90 minutes at 35 degrees C with a high-speed camera and used for assessing changes in the CBF in response to the addition of hormone.ResultsThe baseline CBF of the mouse fallopian tube was 23.3 +/- 3.8 Hz. The CBF was stable over at least 90 minutes allowing establishment of a baseline frequency, addition of hormone and subsequent recordings. Progesterone at concentrations of 20 micromolar and 100 nM significantly reduced the CBF by 10% and 15% respectively after 30 minutes compared with controls.ConclusionsThe present study demonstrates that the mouse, despite its small size, is a useful model for studying the fallopian tube CBF ex vivo. The rapid reduction in CBF by 100 nM progesterone suggests that gamete transport in the fallopian tube could be mediated by progesterone via a non-genomic receptor mechanism.

show abstract

“…The reasons for this failure of definition are both technological and biological. Several investigators have measured oviductal contractile activity in many species by utilizing intra-and extra-luminal sensors in vivo and in vitro (Blandau, Boling, Halbert & Verdugo, 1975). To date studies utilizing mechanical measurements of contractile activity have not shown any relation¬ ship of such parameters as intraluminal pressure or wall tension to ovum transport rates.…”

Section: Physiological Functionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of the oviduct in reproduction; our knowledge and our ignorance

Pauerstein¹,

Eddy²

1979

Reproduction

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Processes essential to reproduction known to occur in the oviducts of Eutherian mammals include sperm transport, capacitation, ovum pick-up and transport, fertilization and embryo transport and nourishment. Our knowledge of these processes in our own species, man, is incomplete. The reasons underlying our lack of information concerning the physiology of the human Fallopian tube are ethical, philosophical, and technical. Although some of our failure to obtain definitive data in women has been due to ethical constraints we have also been limited philosophically by our inability to formulate the critical questions, and pragmatically by the lack of technology with which to accurately measure many biological phenomena. After more than a half century of clinical interest in female infertility, we are unable to assess accurately a single physiological function of the Fallopian tube. Our clinical armamentarium is limited to appraisals of the patency of the tube to gas or liquid, and to examination of the external appearance and texture of the tube. Even if all ethical constraints were removed, it would still be necessary to identify the important questions, design the critical experiments, and to develop the required technology.In this essay we shall emphasize postovulatory events, specifically fertilization, ovum pick¬ up, and ovum and embryo transport. We will discuss the pertinent physiological phenomena, and then we shall attempt to correlate tubai anatomy and physiology with clinical considerations.

show abstract

Methods for Studying Oviductal Physiology

Cited by 22 publications

References 18 publications

An Analysis of the Mechanisms of Egg Transport in the Ampulla of the Rabbit Oviduct

An Analysis of the Mechanisms of Egg Transport in the Ampulla of the Rabbit Oviduct

Rapid effects of progesterone on ciliary beat frequency in the mouse fallopian tube

The role of the oviduct in reproduction; our knowledge and our ignorance

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About