Blood flow to the uterine tube (oviduct) of the early pregnant and pseudopregnant rabbit.
Blood flow to the uterus and uterine tube was measured in 46 rabbits in estrus and early pregnancy or pseudopregnancy. Uterine blood flow in estrus averaged 0.910 +/- 0.253 (SD) ml/g/minute and remained unchanged through postcoital day (PCD) 15. Blood flow to the uterine tube in estrus was 0.810 +/- 0.287 ml/g/minute. A peak blood flow of 1.323 +/- 0.424 ml/g/minute, was measured in the uterine tube on PCD 4, followed by a decrease of blood flow to estrous levels on PCD 8 to 15. The gross blood vasculature of the uterus uterine tube, and ovary was studied by intravascular silicone rubber injection in 17 rabbits. The architecture of the blood vascular system remained unchanged from estrus through early pregnancy or pseudopregnancy. The differences were vascularization of the corpus luteum, vascular accommodation of uterine distension, and enlargement of the lateral arcuate vein which spans the uterotubal junction.
D000818:Animals; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000098:blood supply; D004971:Estrus; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D010053:Ovary / Q000098:blood supply; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D011555:Pseudopregnancy; D011817:Rabbits / Q000502:physiology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply