Genital Sensory Stimulation Shifts Estradiol Intraoviductal Signaling from Nongenomic to Genomic Pathways, Independently from Prolactin Surges

Estradiol (E2) accelerates oviductal egg transport through nongenomic pathways involving oviductal protein phosphorylation in non-mated rats, and through genomic pathways in mated rats. Here we investigated the ability of cervico-vaginal stimulation (CVS) to switch the mode of action of E2 in the absence of other male-associated components. Pro-estrous rats were subjected to CVS with a glass rod and 12 hours later were injected subcutaneously with E2 and intrabursally with the RNA synthesis inhibitor Actinomycin D or the protein phosphorylation inhibitor H-89. The number of eggs in the oviduct, assessed 24 h later, showed that Actinomycin D, but not H-89 blocked the E2-induced egg transport acceleration. This clearly indicates that CVS alone, without other mating-associated signals, is able to shift E2 signaling from nongenomic to genomic pathways. Since mating and CVS activate a neuroendocrine reflex that causes iterative prolactin (PRL) surges, the involvement of PRL pathway in this phenomenon was evaluated. Prolactin receptor mRNA and protein expression in the rat oviduct was demonstrated by RT-PCR and Western blot, but their levels were not different on day 2 of the cycle (C2) or pregnancy (P2). Activated ST AT 5a/b (phosphorylated) was detected by Western blot on P2 in the ovary, but not in the oviduct, showing that mating does not stimulate this PRL signalling pathway in the oviduct. Other rats subjected to CVS in the evening of pro-estrus were treated with bromoergocriptine to suppress PRL surges. In these rats, H-89 did not block the E2-induced acceleration of egg transport suggesting that PRL surges are not essential to shift E2 signaling pathways in the oviduct. We conclude that CVS is one of the components of mating that shifts E2 signaling in the oviduct from nongenomic to genomic pathways, and this effect is independent of PRL surges elicited by mating.

A segment and epithelium specific messenger ribonucleic acid fragment up-regulated by estradiol in the rat oviduct

Estradiol accelerates oviductal embryo transport in the rat through changes of genomic expression in oviductal cells. However, the genes involved are unknown. We used a differential display by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to detect estradiol (E2)-dependent genes in the rat oviduct. Rats on day 2 of pregnancy were untreated or treated with 10 micrograms of E2 and the oviducts were extracted at 30, 180 and 360 min later and used to isolate RNA. Products of reverse transcriptase-PCR, made with pairs of arbitrary and oligo-deoxythymidine primers, were separated on denaturing polyacrylamide gels and candidate bands were excised and reamplified. Truly positive cDNA fragments determined by a single strand conformation polymorphism assay were cloned and sequenced. A ribonuclease protection assay confirmed that clone 25 is up-regulated by E2 in the oviduct at 30, 180 and 360 min. This clone exhibited no homology with known genes and in situ hybridization showed it is only expressed in the epithelial cells of the isthmic segment. Clone 25 is likely to represent a new gene, which is up-regulated by E2 in the epithelium of the isthmic segment of the rat oviduct. Its time frame of response is compatible with a mediator of the effect of E2 on oviductal embryo transport.

Effects of stress upon plasma estradiol and progesterone levels and the rate of oviductal embryo transport in the rat

The possibility that changes in sex steroid levels associated with stress could alter the rate of oviductal embryo transport was investigated in the rat. To this end, the effect of cold-swimming and cold-restraint upon estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) serum levels and embryo transport were assessed. Swimming in water at 16 degrees C for 10 min two or four times between 16:00 and 22:00 h on day 3 of pregnancy caused a modest acceleration of embryo transport that was not associated with decreased fertility. Restraint at 10 degrees C for 2 h between 13:00 and 15:00 h on the first 4 days of pregnancy did not affect embryo transport. Both stimuli increased corticosterone serum levels. Cold-swimming produced a severe hypothermia as compared to cold-restraint and increased serum E2, decreasing significantly the ratio P/E2. Cold-restraint increased the P/E2 ratio. When rats swam in cold water for 10 min twice and were rewarmed by immersion in water at 38 degrees C during 20 min, embryo transport was accelerated despite that no changes occurred in the blood levels of sex steroids. It is concluded that oviductal embryo transport is minimally affected by stress in the rat and that the effect of acute immersion may be independent of alterations in circulating sex steroid levels

light and electron microscopic study of the fallopian tube mucosa of pregnant rabbit

Ten pregnant rabbit at full term in addition to the corresponding controls were used in this study. The ampullary regions of the oviducts were subjected to the following techniques: PAS histochemical technique, semithin sections and convential electron microscopy. The morphometric measurement were done using 1 u thick sections stained with toluidine. These investigations revealed a decrease in cell height of both the ciliary and non-ciliary cells at term gestation. A decrease in the percentage of ciliary cells was also observed. Little glycogen was demonstrated in specimens taken at term gestation. The semithin sections examined by the light microscopy showed an increase in the secretory granules of the non-ciliary [secretory] cells. Electron microscopic examination revealed large electron lucid perinuclear granules in the ciliary cells. The nature of these granules is still unknown [Peretz et al., 1981]. Some atrophic cell manifestations were shown also by electron microscopy side by side with the normal cell population in both types of tubal epithelium in late pregnancy

Aspectos morfológicos e morfometricos do epitélio da tuba uterina durante o ciclo menstrual / Morphologic and morphometric aspects of the uterine tube epithelium during the menstrual cycle

Os autores analisaram, por microscopia óptica comum, os aspectos morfológicos e morfométricos do epitélio da tuba uterina humana, durante o ciclo menstrual. Tipo de estudo: Estudo prospectivo, experimental. Local: Disciplina de ginecologia da Escola Paulista de Medicina. Pacientes: Estudaram-se tubas uterinas obtidas de dez pacientes eumenorréicas, multíparas, com idade variável entre 22 e 35 anos. Foram divididas segundo a fase do ciclo menstrual. Intervençöes: todas foram submetidas a salpingectomia bilateral, por alto risco reprodutivo. As tubas foram separadas nas suas três porçöes: istmo, ampola e infundíbulo. Medidas e resultados: Verificaram que o epitélio é do tipo colunar simple ciliado, identificando-se células ciliadas, secretoras e indiferentes. Registraram, na fase proliferativa, uniformidade na espessura do epitélio em toda a extensäo da mucosa; na fase secretora, a superfície se apresenta irregular no istmo e na ampola. As figuras de mitose foram extremamente raras. Comprovaram, no istmo, maior quantidade de células secretoras nas duas fases do ciclo; na ampola, houve predomínio de células ciliadas na fase proliferativa e de células secretoras na fase lútea e, no infundíbulo fímbrias, maior concentraçäo de células ciliadas, em ambas as fases. Comprovaram que: 1) a altura do epitélio na ampola foi significantemente maior na fase proliferativa do que na secretora; 2) o número de células secretoras foi significantemente maior no istmo, enquanto no infundíbulo prevaleceram as células ciliadas, em ambas as fases do ciclo; na ampola, a proporçäo de células ciliadas foi significantemente maior na fase proliferativa, ao passo que, na fase secretora, houve predomínio significante das células secretoras; 3) a cariometria das células ciliadas e secretoras näo mostra diferenças significantes nas três regiöes, nas duas fases do ciclo. Conclusöes: O epitélio da tuba uterina sofre modificaçöes cíclicas durante o ciclo menstrual, que estariam provavelmente relacionadas à funçäo da tuba na fisiologia da reproduçäo

Inseminaçäo tubária indireta com alto volume de esperma humano capacitado (ITI) / Indirect fallopian insemination with high volume of washed human sperm

Os autores descrevem uma técnica para inseminaçäo tubária indireta com alto volume de esperma humano capacitado injetado através de uma cânula especial. O procedimento foi aplicado para o tratamento de infertilidade em sete mulheres com no mínimo uma trompa permeável na histerossalpingografia e resultou em duas gestaçöes normais em evoluçäo

Utero, trompas y ovario

Se presentan las características funcionales, tamaño e irrigación del utero. Se describen tres afecciones de carácter agudo que pueden ocurrir en las vísceras pelvianas de la mujer como son: las torsiones agudas, hemorragia aguda e inflamación aguda. Se explican las características clínicas, diagnóstico y tratamiento de cada una de ellas y en particular del fibromioma uterino, embarazo ectópico y otras afecciones como la ruptura del útero, perforación y embarazo en un cuerno rudimentario

Correlación de la histerosalpingografía, pruebas de Rubin y celiotomía con los diagnósticos laparoscópicos en la permeabilidad tubárica / Correlation of hysterosalpingography, Rubins test and celiotomy with laparoscopic diagnosis in tubal permeability

No se cuenta con un método único para el estudio integral de la trompa de falopio. Los métodos más utilizados: HSG, PR y cromotubación por Laparoscopia por ser ascendentes no son fisiológicos y no evalúan la función del endosalpinx. La PR debe seguirse utilizando por evaluar la contractibilidad del miosalpinx u ostium tubario; es barato, prácticamente inócuo y coincide más frecuentemente con la laparoscopia que con la HSG. La coincidencia de permeabilidad y obstrucción tubaria por HSG y Laparoscopia se obtuvo en 70.5% y en 29.5% no hubo correlación. Las obstrucciones tubarias evidenciadas por HSG pueden ser permables a la laparoscopia por quitarse el componente espasmo-dolor en esta última prueba. Las funciones de permeabilidad en la HSG que muestran oclusión en la laparoscopia pueden deberse a defecto de técnica, hidrocromotubación preferencial, proceso inflamatório evolutivo reactivo o inducido por el estudio radiográfico. Durante la HSG no sólo se debe analizar las imáges de permeabilidad y de oclusión tubaria, sino que es obligado analizar la distribución del material radiopaco en el Douglas y tratar de evidenciar la calidad de la relación fibrio-ovárica. La laparoscopia tiene mayor grado de confiabilidad y sólo 6.7% de error. Es un estudio parorámico y evaluativo de las condiciones del aparato genital interno, pero no evidencia la contractilidad ni la imagen de las cavidades uterotubaria. Los tres métodos deben utilizarse en el protocolo de estudio de la pareja estéril y complementarse entre sí, por la falta de correlación observada y para tener un diagnóstico integral de la patología existente