Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic observations of stromal cells in the human oviduct mucosa |
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Authors: | Haruo Hagiwara Nobuo Ohwada Takeo Aoki Takeshi Suzuki Kuniaki Takata |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan;(2) Department of Maternal and Child Health Nursing and Midwifery, Gunma University School of Health Sciences, Gunma, Japan |
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Abstract: | Stromal cells in the lamina propria of the human oviduct mucosa are unique cells that can differentiate into decidual cells
during ectopic pregnancy in the oviduct. The nature of stromal cells is still unknown. In the present study, we investigated
human oviductal stromal cells with transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry and revealed that they had ultrastructural
features similar to myofibroblasts and expressed alpha-smooth muscle actin, a marker used to identify myofibroblasts. Primary
cilia were also one of the characteristic profiles of the stromal cells. These findings showed that the connective tissue-stromal
cells in the human oviduct mucosa are myofibroblasts. They are considered to play an important role in the transport of oocytes
by bringing about contraction of the mucosal folds. |
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Keywords: | Myofibroblast Oviduct Ultrastructure Dense body Alpha-smooth muscle actin (α -SMA) Primary cilia |
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