Division of Embryology, National Institute for Basic Biology, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.
Genes Cells. 2011 Mar;16(3):282-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2443.2011.01484.x. Epub 2011 Feb 7.
The oviduct is important in reproduction where fertilization occurs, and the fertilized eggs are conveyed to the uterus. Multi-ciliated cells of the oviductal epithelium and muscle contractions are believed to generate this unidirectional flow. Although there are many studies in human oviducts, there are few reports on mouse oviductal ciliary movements where we can dissect underlying genetic programs. To study ciliary movements in the mouse oviduct, we exposed the ovary-side of the oviduct (infundibulum) longitudinally and recorded the ciliary beatings in a hanging drop preparation. We calculated the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) by automated image analysis and found that the average CBF was 10.9 ± 3.3 and 8.5 ± 2.5 Hz (±standard deviation) during the diestrus and estrus stages, respectively. Mapping of the CBF to multiple locations in the epithelium showed that the cilia beat regularly at a local level, but have a range of frequencies within the entire plane. We also observed ova with cumulus cells were transported to the uterus side by the opened oviduct at the diestrus and estrus stages. These results suggest that the ciliated cells of the infundibulum can generate unidirectional flows and are able to deliver ova by their ciliary activities despite their discordance in beating periodicity.
输卵管在受精发生的生殖过程中起着重要作用，受精卵被输送到子宫。输卵管上皮的多纤毛细胞和肌肉收缩被认为产生这种单向流动。尽管人类输卵管有很多研究，但关于老鼠输卵管纤毛运动的报道很少，我们可以在那里剖析潜在的遗传程序。为了研究老鼠输卵管中的纤毛运动，我们将输卵管的卵巢侧（漏斗部）纵向剖开，并在悬滴准备中记录纤毛的跳动。我们通过自动图像分析计算了纤毛的拍打频率（CBF），发现在动情前期和动情期，平均 CBF 分别为 10.9±3.3 和 8.5±2.5 Hz（±标准偏差）。将 CBF 映射到上皮的多个位置表明，纤毛在局部水平上有规律地拍打，但在整个平面内有一系列频率。我们还观察到在动情前期和动情期，带有丘细胞的卵子被打开的输卵管输送到子宫侧。这些结果表明，漏斗部的纤毛细胞可以产生单向流动，并能够通过其纤毛活动输送卵子，尽管它们的拍打周期存在差异。
