Secretory cells of the oviduct of the pig-tailed monkey, Macaca nemestrina, during the menstrual cycle and after estrogen treatment.

The secretory cells of the oviductal epithelium in the pig-tailed monkey, Macaca nemestrina, have been studied by light and electron microscopy. Changes during the menstrual cycle and after ovariectomy, with and without subsequent estrogen treatment, have been documented. During the early follicular phase the epithelium is recovering from deciliation and secretory cell atrophy that occur in the late luteal phase. A few fimbrial and a moderate number of ampullar and isthmic cells contain a few electron-dense, homogeneous secretory granules in their apical cytoplasm. During the late preovulatory and early post-ovulatory periods, secretory cell structure varies considerably. Fimbrial cells typically display apical protrusions that contain no or a few small, mainly homogeneous, secretory granules. The cytoplasm is crowded with elements of the Golgi complex, with granular endoplasmic reticulum profiles often intimately associated with mitochondria, and with variable numbers of polysomes and glycogen granules. In ampullar and isthmic cells secretory granules are more abundant than in fimbrial cells, and electron-lucent vacuoles appear. The granules are of two types: 1) those having an electron-dense, homogeneous matrix, and 2) those possessing lamellar structures within moderately dense matrices. The lamellae of the second type course in parallel arrays separated by a distance of approximately 15.5 nm and exhibit a periodicity of approximately 11.3 nm. Possible transitional stages between the lamellar granules and the vacuoles containing lamellar fragments are observed. Secretion occurs by exocytosis. During the late luteal phase no fimbrial cells have secretory granules. In the ampulla many of the cells have poor development of the organelles involved in secretory activity and have few or no secretory granules. In others, a moderate number of secretory granules are present; in one animal, exocytosis is observed. In the untreated ovariectomized animal no secretory granules occur, and the organelle content is much less than in the cycling and the estrogen-treated monkeys. In ovariectomized, estradiol-treated monkeys, some areas of all three oviductal segments are well stimulated whereas others display little or no secretory activity.

Cyclic variations in the oviuductal ciliated cells during the menstrual cycle and after estrogen treatment in the pig-tailed monkey, Macaca nemestrina.

The epithelium of the oviduct of the pig-tailed monkey, Macaca nemestrina was studied 1) to determine whether quantitative changes in the number of ciliated, deciliated, reciliating and nonciliated cells occur during the menstrual cycle and under certain experimental conditions and 2) to describe the ultrastructure of the ciliated and ciliogenic cells. The mean percentage of ciliated cells decreased from 48.2 in the fimbriae and 48.3 in the ampullae in the postovulatory stage to 7.7 and 18.8, respectively in the late luteal phase; these changes are significant as determined by Duncan's multiple range test. In the early follicular phase 3.9% of the cells in the fimbriae and 11.2% in the ampullae are ciliated, and the number of ciliogenic (deciliated and reciliating) cells is the highest of any time in the cycle in both the fimbrial (6.3%) and ampullar (8.4%) epithelium. In contrast, although the percentage of ciliated cells in the isthmus varies from 44.4 in the preovulatory phase to 34.3 in the early follicular phase, the differences between the various times in the cycle are not significant. However, in the late luteal phase, the values for the fimbriae and ampullae are significantly different from that of the isthmi. Ciliated cells constitute less than 1% of both the fimbrial and ampullar epithelium 2 3/4 years after ovariectomy, but 16.7 in the isthmic tissue. In ovariectomized monkeys treated for 7 or 12 days with estradiol benzoate reciliation occurs, but to a significantly lesser extent in the fimbriae and ampullae than in the pre- or postovulatory animals; the degree of reciliation in the isthmus is not different from the values noted during the cycle. The ultrastructure of ciliated, deciliated and reciliating cells is described. Of much interest is the finding of cytoplasmic protrusions containing variable numbers of ciliary axonemal complexes. It is postulated that such internalization of ciliary micotubules may represent one way in which deciliation may be accomplished.

Hormonal control of oviductal ciliary activity: effect of prostaglandins.

Prostaglandins have been shown to exist in the walls of the oviduct and to effect strongly oviductal muscle contractions and egg transport. Our observations, using laser light-scattering spectroscopy, indicate that the "natural" prostaglandins F2 alpha, E1, and E2 can stimulate ciliary activity in cultures of ciliated epithelium of the rabbit oviduct. These findings suggest a new alternative to explain the effect of prostaglandins on oviductal egg transport.

The response of transplants of cultured fetal mouse ovaries in kidneys of ovariectomized adult mice.

Whole ovaries from 16-day fetal mice were cultured for 6 to 20 days and then transplanted to the kidneys of ovariectomized adult mice where they remained for one to four weeks. After three weeks in the host's kidneys, many follicles developed within the transplants and became vesiculated. Many of the oocytes within these follicles had formed the first metaphase spindle of meiosis and several had completed the first polar body. Host mice bearing transplants that contained vesiculated follicles showed uterine stimulation and keratinization of their vaginae. However, ovaries that had been in culture for more than ten days before transplantation showed a limited response to the gonadotropins and never matured sufficiently to stimulate the host's reproductive tract. No ovulations occurred in any of the transplants.

Studies on the mucosa of postmenopausal oviducts: surface appearance, ciliary activity, and the effect of estrogen treatment.

The epithelial lining of the human oviduct is known to be responsive to the fluctuating hormonal levels of the normal menstrual cycle, but its response to the changes in hormonal climate at the time of the menopause is not clearly defined. In this study the oviducts of nine postmenopausal patients were obtained at the time of abdominal hysterectomy, and the lining epithelium was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The activity of cilia on the fresh tissue was assessed by their ability to transport particulate matter applied to the epithelial surface. The fimbriae of oviducts from women who had received little or no estrogen treatment before surgery showed a significant deciliation of the epithelium, compared with specimens from premenopausal patients, and even showed some sloughing of cells from the surface. The secretory cells appeared inactive. However, the specimens from patients who had been treated with estrogen for periods of 1 year or more showed a remarkable maintenance of the epithelium, with the proportion of ciliated cells remaining almost as high as in premenopausal oviducts, even as late as 25 years after the menopause. The ampullar and isthmic portions showed less obvious changes. Cilia in oviducts from the former group (short-term or no treatment) were incapable of transporting 15-mum microspheres or lycopodium spores applied to the epithelial surface, whereas the oviductal cilia obtained from patients under long-term estrogen therapy showed efficient transport of particulate matter. The results are discussed in relation to earlier conflicting reports on the postmenopausal oviduct.

GENERALIZED LEARNING CURVES AND THEIR ABILITY AND PERSONALITY CORRELATES.

Learning studies have typically been analyzed using the mean learning our across trials. This study was designed to determine if probability learning dab could be described by a family of learning ewes and to identify ability and personality correlates of these curves. One hundred eighteen Ss participated in an 18-trial four-choice probability learning task. The intertribal matrix of intercorrelations was factored to ob6ain three reference lemming curves and the corresponding reference curve scores. Ability and personality variables correlated differentially with these scores. These results and others are discussed.