A COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGICAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL-STUDY OF ENDOMETRIAL GLAND AND FALLOPIAN-TUBE EPITHELIA AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE MENSTRUAL-CYCLE AND THE MENOPAUSE

Cyclical ultrastructural changes in the endometrium and Fallopian tube have been reported previously but in different subjects. The aim of t his study is to compare cyclical changes in endometrial gland and tuba l (isthmic, mid-tube, ampulla, and fimbria) epithelia in the same subj ects with a view to identifying any similarities or differences which may have clinical implications for assisted reproduction treatment. En dometrial and Fallopian tube samples were obtained from women undergoi ng hysterectomy and salpingectomy. We report similar epithelial surfac e changes taking place in the endometrial glandular and endosalpingeal epithelia with the exception of the fimbriae. Secretions within endom etrial gland lumen and the isthmus increase throughout the late follic ular phase and before ovulation, then dissipate in these two regions s imultaneously in the early/mid luteal phase. Similarly, in the late fo llicular and pre-ovulatory phases, the process of granule secretion is similar in the glandular epithelium, isthmus and ampulla. In the fimb riae, no comparable activity is noted during these phases of the menst rual cycle. The differences reflect the functional differentiation bet ween these regions. Equally, the observed similarities highlight the n eed for further comparative studies to determine the role of these sec retions in early embryonic development and their clinical relevance.