The annual oviductal cycle of the Cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorus, is described using electron microscopy. This is only the second such study on a snake and the first on a viperid species. Specimens were collected in reproductive and nonreproductive condition throughout the year and five ultrastructurally unique regions were recognized: the anterior infundibulum, posterior infundibulum, gla...

A variety of evolutionary processes has led to the development of different organs to ensure that internal fertilization occur successfully. Fallopian tubes are a particularly interesting example of such organs. Some of the key events during fertilization and early embryo development occur in the oviduct. Knowledge of the different components described in the oviduct is extensive. Oviductal com...

We developed an air-liquid interphase culture procedure for mammalian oviduct epithelial cells leading to the formation of functional epithelial tissues, which generate oviduct fluid surrogates. These in vitro oviduct epithelia can be co-cultured with living zygotes and enable embryonic development up to the blastocyst stage without addition of embryo culture medium. The described strategy is b...

The role in early development of proteins secreted by oviduct epithelial cells has been investigated. Secreted proteins devoid of serum contamination have been produced by the surgical removal and immediate incubation of oviduct cells in [35S]methionine-containing medium. After electrophoretic separation, secreted polypeptides could be divided into those that were secreted uniformly throughout ...

Fertilization in a large number of animals occurs in a specific region of the female genital tract called the oviduct (uterine tube or Fallopian tube), which adjoins into the uterus and is located close to the ovary (Figures 1 and 2). The oviduct is a complex fibromuscular conduct with several layers comprising the mucosa, muscular layer, and a connective serosa. The size of these different lay...

Smoking is associated with higher infertility risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate protective effects of melatonin on the uterus and oviduct in mice exposed to nicotine. Adult female mice (n=32) were divided into four groups. Group A: control animals received normal saline, Group B: injected with nicotine 40µg/kg, Group C: injected with melatonin 10 µg, Group D: injected with nicotine 40...

Intravaginal infection with C. muridarum in mice often results in hydrosalpinx similar to that found in women urogenitally infected with C. trachomatis, making the C. muridarum lower genital tract infection murine model suitable for studying C. trachomatis pathogenesis. To our surprise, DBA1/j mice were highly resistant to hydrosalpinx following an intravaginal infection with C. muridarum altho...

The oviduct provides the natural micro-environment for gamete interaction, fertilization and early embryo development in mammals, such as the cow. In conventional culture systems, bovine oviduct epithelial cells (BOEC) undergo a rapid loss of essential differentiated cell properties; we aimed to develop a more physiological in vitro oviduct culture system capable of supporting fertilization. U-...

The mammalian oviduct provides an optimal environment for the maturation of gametes, fertilization, and early embryonic development. Secretory cells lining the lumen of the mammalian oviduct synthesize and secrete proteins that have been shown to interact with and influence the activities of gametes and embryos. We hypothesized that the presence of gametes in the oviduct alters the oviductal se...

The avian coronavirus (AvCoV) infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is a major poultry pathogen. A characteristic feature of IBV is the occurrence of many different strains belonging to different serotypes, which makes a complete control of the disease by vaccinations a challenging task. Reasons for differences in the tissue tropism and pathogenicity between IBV strains, e.g. a predilection for the...