RESUMO
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