Molecules involved in the sperm interaction in the human uterine tube: a histochemical and immunohistochemical approach
Metadata
Show full item recordEditorial
National Library of Medicine
Materia
Human uterine tube Epitheliummenstrual cycle Immunohistochemistry Cell adhesion molecules
Date
2023Referencia bibliográfica
Cajas, D., Guajardo, E., Jara-Rosales, S., Nuñez, C., Vargas, R., Carriel, V., ... & Godoy-Guzman, C. (2023). Molecules involved in the sperm interaction in the human uterine tube: a histochemical and immunohistochemical approach. European Journal of Histochemistry: EJH, 67(2).[doi:10.4081/ejh.2023.3513]
Sponsorship
Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Agradecimientos Proyecto Dicyt 022201GG; Vicerrectoia de Investigacion, Desarrollo e Innovacion and the Tissue Engineering Group CTS -115; Department of Histology, University of Granada, Spain; ANID Nacional Becas/doctorado 21191519Abstract
In humans, even where millions of spermatozoa are deposited upon ejaculation in the vagina, only a few thousand
enter the uterine tube (UT). Sperm transiently adhere to the epithelial cells lining the isthmus reservoir,
and this interaction is essential in coordinating the availability of functional spermatozoa for fertilization. The
binding of spermatozoa to the UT epithelium (mucosa) occurs due to interactions between cell-adhesion
molecules on the cell surfaces of both the sperm and the epithelial cell. However, in humans, there is little information
about the molecules involved. The aim of this study was to perform a histological characterization of
the UT focused on determining the tissue distribution and deposition of some molecules associated with cell
adhesion (F-spondin, galectin-9, osteopontin, integrin αV/β3) and UT’s contractile activity (TNFα-R1, TNFα-
R2) in the follicular and luteal phases. Our results showed the presence of galectin-9,
F-spondin, osteopontin, integrin αV/β3, TNFα-R1, and TNFα-R2 in the epithelial cells in ampullar and isthmic
segments during the menstrual cycle. Our results suggest that these molecules could form part of the sperm-UT
interactions. Future studies will shed light on the specific role of each of the identified molecules