Menstrual-cycle-dependent and -independent features of the human Fallopian tube fimbrial epithelium: an ultrastructural and cytochemical study.
Ultrastructural and cytochemical features of 100 specimens of human Fallopian tube fimbrial epithelium were studied to determine whether they were dependent on or independent of the ovarian hormones. Characteristics which were independent of hormonal control included the presence of alkaline phosphatase reaction product along the apical cell membrane of the secretory cell and its absence in the ciliary cell. Acid phosphatase reaction product was found in ciliary and secretory cell lysosomes in similar numbers and calcium deposits were observed in ciliary and secretory cell nuclei, nucleoli and cell membranes. On the other hand, characteristics dependent on stages of the cycle included the presence of mitochondrial-bound calcium during the preovulatory phase and its depletion during the periovulatory phase. The same sequence was noticed in the content of the large ciliary cell perinuclear globules, which displayed accumulations of glycogen and lipid in preovulatory phase and their depletion during the periovulatory phase. It seems that during the periovulatory phase the increased metabolic activity of the cells is accompanied by utilization of some of the material stored within the cells.
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D008598:Menstruation
D006003:Glycogen; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium