Abstract
Objectives
The aim of the study was to investigate the distribution of the sialoderivatives of
the glycoconjugates in the oviduct of normally menstruating and postmenopausal women.
Methods
Biopsies of ampullary and isthmic portions of the oviduct were obtained from fertile
women, in proliferative and secretive phases, and from postmenopausal subjects. The
study was carried out using digoxigenin-labelled lectins (MAA, SNA and PNA) in addition
to the use of enzymatic and chemical treatments to characterize the different glycosidic
linkages of the sialoderivatives and to obtain information on their structure.
Results
No appreciable difference in sialoderivatives distribution was observed among the
oviducts, particularly at the epithelium luminal surface, of the fertile women in
the two menstrual cycle phases or among those of the fertile and some postmenopausal
women, independently from age. Moreover, no appreciable difference of distribution
was observed between the ampullary and the isthmic portions in both the study groups.
Conclusions
In the fertile women sialoderivatives present at the luminal surface of the epithelial
cells could play a role in sperm capacitation and mobility, and facilitate the transit
of the egg and of the early embryo along the oviducts. The similar distribution of
sialoderivatives in the oviduct epithelium of some postmenopausal women of different
age, compared to the fertile ones, suggests a maintaining of some functions of the
organ, independently from the age of the woman. This could be due, in some cases,
to the influence of remaining still sufficient sex hormonal levels.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 24, 2007
Accepted:
August 28,
2007
Received in revised form:
August 18,
2007
Received:
May 3,
2007
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
