The expression of receptivity markers in the fallopian tube epithelium

Abstract

Pinopodes represent the morphological and integrins, the biomolecular markers of endometrial receptivity. We studied using scanning electron microscopy, the expression of pinopodes on tubal samples and their corresponding endometria, from 21 women of reproductive age (7 from proliferative phase, 7 from day LH +5 and 7 from day LH +7). In addition, we examined the immunohistochemical staining of integrins alpha v beta 3, alpha v beta 5 and their ligands, fibronectin (FN) and osteopontin (OPN) in the same tubal epithelium samples. Pinopodes were detected on the tubal epithelium exclusively during day LH +7, coincident with their formation in the endometrium and synchronous to alpha v beta 3 sharp increase in the oviduct epithelium, suggesting a regulation similar to the endometrium. In contrast, alpha v beta 5, FN and OPN remained unchanged during the cycle. These results show for the first time the formation of pinopodes in the tubal epithelium at the time of endometrial receptivity and correlate it with the upregulation of the intact dimmer alpha v beta 3 in the tubes.