It is well known that the mammalian uterine tube (UT) plays a crucial role in female fertility, where the most important events leading to successful fertilization and pre-implantation embryo development occur. The known functions of these small intraabdominal organs are: an uptake and transport of oocytes; storage, transportation, and capacitation of spermatozoa, and finally fertilization and transport of the fertilized ovum and early embryo through the isthmus towards the uterotubal junction. The success of all these events depends on the interaction between the uterine tube epithelium (UTE) and gametes/embryo. Besides that, contemporary research revealed that the tubal epithelium provides essential nutritional support and the most suitable environment for early embryo development. Moreover, recent discoveries in molecular biology help understand the role of the epithelium at the cellular and molecular levels, highlighting the factors involved in regulating the UT signaling, that affects different steps in the fertilization process. According to the latest research, the extracellular vesicles, as a major component of tubal secretion, mediate the interaction between gametes/embryo and epithelium. This review aims to provide up-to-date knowledge on various aspects concerning tubal epithelium activity and its cross-talk with spermatozoa, oocytes and preimplantation embryo and how these interactions affect fertilization and early embryo development.
The uterine tube (UT) pathologies account for 25-35 % of female factor infertility. Although these peculiar organs were first studied several hundred years ago, they have become overlooked and neglected mainly due to the successes of reproductive medicine. Nevertheless, reproductive medicine still faces many challenges regarding the fertility outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Many obstacles and problems can be resolved by a more detailed understanding of the UT morphology and function during normal reproduction. Over the course of the 21st century, many new insights have been obtained: the presence of a population of telocytes in the tubal wall responsible for normal motility and hormone sensory function, the demonstration of lymphatic lacunae of the mucosal folds necessary for oocyte capture and tubal fluid recirculation, or a thorough profiling of the immune makeup of the UT epithelial lining with the discovery of regulatory T cells presumably important for maternal tolerance towards the semiallogenic embryo. New discoveries also include the notion that the UT epithelium is male sex hormone-sensitive, and that the UT is not sterile, but harbors a complex microbiome. The UT epithelial cells were also shown to be the cells-of-origin of high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas. Finally, yet importantly, several modern morphological directions have been emerging recently, including cell culture, the development of tubal organoids, in silico modelling, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. All these novel insights and new approaches can contribute to better clinical practice and successful pregnancy outcomes.
Uterine tubes (UTs) are essential during physiological reproduction. The most intriguing part of its wall is the mucosa. Apart from the epithelial cells vital for its normal function, the connective tissue lamina propria contains wide spaces whose function, morphology and structure are yet to be elucidated. The present study used bioptic samples from 25 premenopausal (mean age 48.3 years, σ=3.56) and 25 postmenopausal women (mean age 57.8 years, σ=7.79). In both study groups, samples were obtained from two anatomically distinct parts of the UT – ampulla and infundibulum with fimbriae. The specimens were processed for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and immunohistochemical detection of podoplanin (clone D2-40) and VEGFR-3 – two markers of lymphatic endothelial cells. The results showed that specimens from premenopausal and postmenopausal women contain wide lymphatic spaces, also known as lymphatic lacunae. The most probable function of the lacunae in the fimbriae is oocyte pick-up upon ovulation thanks to their ability to get engorged with lymph, thus serving as an erectile-like tissue. The ampullary lacunae are probably responsible for tubal fluid maintenance and recirculation. These results indicate that they are vital for normal reproduction because tubal fluid dynamics are as important as fluid composition. Further research on this topic is highly warranted because more detailed insights into UT function have a great potential to refine the methods of reproductive medicine, e.g. in vitro fertilization (IVF), which are still far from optimal regarding fertility outcomes.
Anatomical variations and congenital anomalies of the uterine tubes (UTAVsCAs) are rare conditions, which are often undiagnosed, or accidentally diagnosed upon imaging, laparotomy, laparoscopy for unrelated condition, or during the Cesarean section. UTAVsCAs are often asymptomatic, but their clinical relevance lies in their possibly adverse impact on fertility. Since their rare occurrence, they are usually published as case reports. The most typically described are: agenesis of the uterine tubes (UTs), accessory UT (UT duplication), accessory UT ostium, and paratubal cysts (e.g. the hydatid cyst of Morgagni). UTAVsCAs are classified into an umbrella category of Müllerian duct anomalies (MDAs) which comprises anomalous development of all the organs developing from the paramesonephric (Müllerian) ducts, i.e., UTs, uterus and upper portion of the vagina. Interestingly, most of the classification systems of MDAs discuss solely the uterine and vaginal anomalies, while the UTs are often utterly ignored. This probably originates from the fact that UTs are no longer interesting for many clinicians as they think of UTs as superfluous organs whose function can be easily replaced in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratory. Indeed, the modern reproductive medicine has been helping enormously with the conception of infertile couples. In many instances, the UTs are in fact successfully bypassed and a “test-tube” baby is born. Nevertheless, the UTs are still absolutely unique in providing suitable environment for fertilization and early embryo development - processes that has not been still completely understood. This fact could partially explain why the success rate of IVF is “only” around 30-50 % depending on age. Therefore, the research of the UTAVsCAs is still clinically relevant in the context of reproductive medicine and should not be omitted from research endeavors.