Development of ciliated cells in the human fetal oviduct: an ultrastructural study.
Prenatal development of ciliated cells in the human fallopian tube was studied by light and electron microscopy in specimens obtained from 12 fetuses, aged 12-40 weeks. On light microscopy, transverse sections of the ampullary portion of the tube revealed a slit-like lumen at 12 weeks. The lumen began to fold by 15 weeks, and formed the typical villous structures by 31 weeks. On electron microscopy, the epithelial cells contained a large number of sub- and supranuclear glycogen particles until 18 weeks and an occasional solitary cilium. At 20-22 weeks, instead of glycogen particles, cytoplasmic organelles such as mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticula and Golgi apparatus were well developed, and some cells possessed cilia with a 9 + 2 microtubular structure. Between 22 and 31 weeks, ciliated cells were sporadically observed. At 31 weeks, the epithelial cells accumulated a large number of sub- and supranuclear glycogen particles. Afterwards, numerous ciliated cells with well-developed cytoplasmic organelles were observed by 40 weeks.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
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Konishi
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Fujii
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Parmley
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Mori
D000818:Animals; D002923:Cilia / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010057:Oviducts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure