LASER SCATTERING INSTRUMENT FOR REAL-TIME IN-VIVO MEASUREMENT OF CILIARY ACTIVITY IN HUMAN FALLOPIAN-TUBES

Based on a laser light scattering technique and fibre optic probe, we have developed and tested a simple and practical device for real time measurements of ciliary activity in human Fallopian tubes during lapar oscopy and laparotomy, A further aim was to investigate the relationsh ip between the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and the morphology of the ciliary epithelium, The mean +/- SE of CBF in the fimbria and in the a mpulla were 5.4 +/- 0.3 Hz and 5.0 +/- 0.1 Hz respectively. Small piec es of fimbria and ampulla epithelium were taken from the same sites at which the CBF was measured, and the percentage of ciliary cells was d etermined by scanning electron microscopy, A high positive correlation was found between CBF and the percentage of ciliary cells in the fimb ria (r = 0.84) and in the ampulla (r = 0.88), The instrument presented in this study provided, for the first time, a quantitative examinatio n of the CBF in intact human Fallopian tubes and may be used for the i nvestigation of ciliary activity in patients with infertility.