[Ultrastructural aspects of the human uterine tube epithelium during menstrual cycle].

PURPOSE

The authors perform an electron microscopy analysis of the human uterine tube epithelium during the menstrual cycle.

TYPE OF STUDY

Prospective, experimental. Site: São Paulo School of Medicine.

PATIENTS

Four eumenorrheic multiparous patients, two in the proliferating stage, and two in the secreting stage of the cycle.

INTERVENTIONS

PATIENTS were submitted to bilateral salpingectomy because they presented a high reproductive risk.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

The authors evaluated ultrastructural aspects of the epithelium in the isthmus, ampulla, and infundibulum. Two types of cells were identified: ciliated and non-ciliated or secretory. Secretory cells have more marked ultrastructural changes than ciliated cells during the cycle. In the luteal stage, secretory cells present quite developed and dilated endoplasmatic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, and numerous electro-lucent vesicles. They also verified that during the second stage of the cycle, the secretory cells in the ampullar region seems to release part of its cytoplasm in the tube lumen.

CONCLUSIONS

The ampullar region of the uterine tube suffers greater hormonal influences than the other regions. Morphological changes occurring in the ampullar might have their role to play in the nutrition of the egg cell during the time it remains inside it.