Studies on ciliated epithelia of the human genital tract. II. The mucociliary wave pattern of fallopian tube epithelium

Abstract

The ciliary activity of human fallopian tube epithelium was studied in vitro by using a technique which included registration of the light reflections from the mucociliary waves on the epithelial surface. In all registrations, the mucociliary waves moved toward the uterine end of the specimen. The frequencies of the reflections of the mucociliary waves ranged between 960 and 1368 cpm, with a mean of 1191 cpm (2 SD, +/- 176) and a median of 1210 cpm. Significant differences in the mucociliary wave frequencies were not observed between different parts of the fallopian tube nor between registrations performed during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Scanning electron microscopy of the specimens revealed no morphologic changes of the cilia during the menstrual cycle.