Publication: Ageing of the human oviduct: lectin histochemistry
Authors
Gheri, G. ; Noci, I. ; Sgambati, E. ; Borri, P. ; Taddei, G. ; Gheri Bryk, S.
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Publisher
Murcia : F. Hernández
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DOI
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
The aim of the present research was to
investigate the changes of the sugar residues in the
oviduct in the course of ageing in postmenopausal
women vs normally menstruating women, by means of
lectin histochemistry.
Twenty asymptomatic postmenopausal women (48-
83 years old) were recruited among patients who
underwent a vaginal hysterectomy. Eight normally
menstruating women were recruited as controls.
Fragments of Fallopian tubes (pars ampullaris) were
fixed in 10% formalin and routinely processed. The
sections were labelled with HRP-lectins (PNA, SBA,
DBA, WGA, Con A, LTA, UEAI). Some sections were
pre-treated with neuraminidase prior to staining with
HRP-lectins.
Among the postmenopausal patients, our
histochemical data showed that there was no difference
in the localization and distribution of sugar residues of
glycoconjugates as detected by various HRP-lectins.
Moreover, our results demonstrated that the oviductal
epithelium is characterized by apical reactivity in both
ciliated and non-ciliated cells. In the course of ageing,
the ciliated cells changed their morphology from
bathyprismatic to large and rounded shape. ConA lectin
reacted intensely with such highly degenerating ciliated
cells and could be considered a marker of these cells.
The degenerating ciliated cells are also characterized by the absence of sialic acid. In comparison with the sugar
residues present in the control group, the oviductal
epithelium of postmenopausal women is characterized
by the loss of reactivity with DBA, WGA and ConA.
Moreover, PNA reactive material was present at the free
border of the ciliated and non-ciliated cells. The latter
findings were statistically confirmed and could be
considered strictly related to the ageing process.
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