FUNCTIONS OF PROTEINS SECRETED BY OVIDUCT EPITHELIAL-CELLS

Studies on embryonic development in vitro as well as observations in v ivo, suggested that two aspects of oviduct physiology are important fo r early development. On one side has to be considered the oviduct ''en vironment'': temperature, pH, osmotic pressure, nutrients, oxygen tens ion, free radical scavengers, etc. On the other, the oviduct ''active components'': stimulatory and/or regulatory molecules, supposed to fin ely regulate the fertilisation process and the first differentiative s teps. While the physical environment of the oviduct has been under inv estigation for some decades, studies on oviduct-specific molecules and their functions have only been developed much more recently. The amou nt of information on this topic, however, has rapidly reached the size that demands a summary. In this review the descriptive literature on oviduct specific proteins will be examined as a basis for illustrating the possible functions of these molecules. In particular their role i n fertilisation and early embryonic cleavages will be analysed in some details. Finally a section is devoted to the presence and physiologic al significance of growth factors in oviduct fluid. (C) 1995 Wiley-Lis s, Inc.