title: Surface alteration in aging of rat tubae uterinae epithelium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aim of the study was evaluating arrangement of apical surface differentiation in cross-sections of tuba uterinae in different age groups by scanning electron microscope.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six groups were created with 36 Wistar rat; 1(st) group: neonate (1(th) day) (n=6), 2(nd) group: young (22(nd) day) (n=6), 3(rd) group: prepubertal (4-6 week) (n=6), 4(th) group: adult (10 week) (n=6), 5(th) group: premenopausal (8 month) (n=6), 6(th) group: old (18-20 month) (n=6). Tissue samples examined with scanning electron microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When surface differentiations of epithelial cells in tubae uterinae from birth to menopause were considered, it was determined that the cell with microvilli are first maturing cells and degenerated by ages first. It was observed that the ciliated cells are last maturing cells and subsisting as a mature cell during the postmenopausal period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Towards the menopause degeneration in microvillous cells together with lack of secretion may affect sperm nutrition adversely. The increase of ciliated cells in aging may be a physiological result related to the active role of cilia movement in the sperm and early embryo transport against a probable decrease in muscle contraction in aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sule
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gülnur Take
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Kaplanoğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erdoğan
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mahmud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bağırzade
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zekiye
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Suludere
keywords: Tubae Uterinae; aging; epithelium; rat; scanning electron microscop