title: Histomorphological changes in the oviduct epithelium of the rabbit during early pregnancy.
abstract: In this study, we determined the histomorphological changes in different regions of the oviduct (fimbriae, infundibulum, ampullae and isthmus) during early pregnancy (days 1-4) of the rabbit. It was observed that the number of secretory cells (PAS-positive cells) diminished in the fimbriae during the first 4 days of pregnancy with the corresponding increase in the number of non-secretory cells (PAS-negative cells). In contrast, there was an increase in the number of PAS-positive cells in the isthmus during early pregnancy. In both the infundibulum and the ampullae the number of PAS-positive cells was increased on day 3. A significant decrease in the height of the epithelium was observed in the fimbriae during early pregnancy. On the contrary, a significant increase in this parameter was observed in the isthmus during the first 3 days of pregnancy. A slight decrease in the height of the epithelium was observed in the infundibulum on day 4 of pregnancy, while in the ampullae it was significantly increased on days 1 and 3. The overall results indicate that during early pregnancy there is a selective modification in the histomorphological characteristics of the different regions of the rabbit oviduct.
authors.affiliation: Sección de Histología y Biología Celular, Departamento de Morfología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Anzaldúa
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Camacho-Arroyo
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cerbón
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D010503:Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology