title: A method for longitudinal microscopic in vivo examinations of morphology, vascularity, and motility in the ovary and the oviduct of the rat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We developed an in vivo model to enable observation of dynamic changes in morphology, vascularity, and motility of the rat adnexa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immature Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 16) were primed with equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG;15 IU) followed by human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG; 15 IU) 48 hours later to induce ovulation. The experiments were performed during prolonged (up to 12 hours) thiobarbiturate anesthesia. During laparotomy the periovarian bursa was retracted, whereafter the oviductal-ovarian complex was submerged into an organ chamber. Water immersion lenses (4x-40x; final magnification up to 810x) enabled detailed observations that were recorded on Beta-SP videotape.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Capillary flow was monitored easily. At the level of the follicle, top blood flow velocity variations (8-10 per minute) were observed in the microvasculature. Ovulations were followed in detail, and oocyte-cumulus complexes were seen later in the oviductal ampulla. Regular contractions in the oviduct were synchronous with the oocyte-cumulus complexes moving back and forth in the oviductal lumen over a distance of about 900 microm. These contractions were more frequent (13-16 per minute) in the postovulatory phase compared with the time before ovulation (9-10 per minute). The oviductal contractions were initiated alternately from either end of the ampulla and were accompanied by a denudation of the oocytes, with a stream of cumulus cells seen moving in an abovarian direction in between contractions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-magnification video recording in vivo was useful for capturing microcirculatory events as well as structural and functional changes of the ovary and the oviduct.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. carlo@promedia.nu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Löfman
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zackrisson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mikuni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Janson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brännström
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002196:Capillaries / Q000502:physiology; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007813:Laparotomy; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D010053:Ovary / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D010060:Ovulation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013858:Thiobarbiturates; D014741:Video Recording / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D013858:Thiobarbiturates; C029684:thiobarbituric acid