Seanmcwatt (talk | contribs) m Changed naming to be consistent with anatomical terminology: Replaced the eponym of "Fallopian tubes" with the anatomically correct terminology, "uterine tubes". Eponyms should be avoided whenever possible for clarity and consistency with anti-patriarchal (a.k.a. modern) science. The same change should be made to the title of this article and all searches for "Fallopian tubes" should be redirected here. Tag: Reverted |
Undid revision 1083788466 by Seanmcwatt (talk) undid good faith edit Fallopian is far more commonly used Google hits 8 million plus, vs 599k for uterine. You would need to suggest change on talk page - it failed in the past Tag: Undo |
||
Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
{{lead too short|date=March 2015}} |
{{lead too short|date=March 2015}} |
||
{{Infobox anatomy |
{{Infobox anatomy |
||
| Name = |
| Name = Fallopian tube |
||
| Latin = Tuba uterina |
| Latin = Tuba uterina |
||
| Greek = Salpinx |
| Greek = Salpinx |
||
| Image = Illu cervix.svg |
| Image = Illu cervix.svg |
||
| Caption = Uterus and |
| Caption = Uterus and fallopian tubes |
||
| Width = |
| Width = |
||
| Image2 = Normal Fallopian Tube, Human.jpg |
| Image2 = Normal Fallopian Tube, Human.jpg |
||
| Caption2 = Cross-section of |
| Caption2 = Cross-section of Fallopian tube, [[histology|stained]] and viewed under microscope |
||
| System = [[Reproductive system]] |
| System = [[Reproductive system]] |
||
| Artery = [[tubal branches of ovarian artery]], [[tubal branch of uterine artery]] via [[mesosalpinx]] |
| Artery = [[tubal branches of ovarian artery]], [[tubal branch of uterine artery]] via [[mesosalpinx]] |
||
Line 17: | Line 17: | ||
| Lymph = [[lumbar lymph nodes]] |
| Lymph = [[lumbar lymph nodes]] |
||
}} |
}} |
||
The ''' |
The '''Fallopian tubes''', also known as '''uterine tubes''', '''salpinges''' (singular '''salpinx'''), or '''oviducts''', are tubes that stretch from the [[Ovary|ovaries]] to the [[uterus]], in the human [[female reproductive system]]. In other mammals they are called [[oviduct]]s. |
||
A [[human fertilization|fertilized]] [[egg cell|egg]] passes through the |
A [[human fertilization|fertilized]] [[egg cell|egg]] passes through the Fallopian tubes from the ovaries to the uterus. The Fallopian tubes are lined with [[simple columnar epithelium#Ciliated|simple columnar epithelium]] with hair-like extensions called [[cilia]] which carry the fertilized egg. |
||
The |
The name comes from the [[Catholic priest]] and [[anatomist]] [[Gabriele Falloppio]], for whom other anatomical structures are also named. |
||
==Structure== |
==Structure== |
||
The |
The Fallopian tube is composed of four parts. These are, described from near the [[ovary|ovaries]] to inwards near the [[uterus]], the ''infundibulum'' with its associated ''fimbriae'' near the ovary, the ''ampulla'' that represents the major portion of the lateral tube, the ''isthmus'', which is the narrower part of the tube that links to the uterus, and the interstitial (or intramural) part, the narrowest part of the uterine tube, that crosses the muscles of the uterine. The average length of a fallopian tube is 11-12 cm.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Eddy |first1=Carlton A |last2=Pauerstein |first2=Carl J |title=Anatomy and physiology of the fallopian tube. |journal=Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology |date=December 1980 |volume=23 |issue=4 |pages=1177–93 |pmid=7004702 |doi=10.1097/00003081-198012000-00023 |s2cid=42445339 }}</ref> In other [[mammal]]s the Fallopian tube is called the [[oviduct]] which may also be used in reference to the Fallopian tube in the [[human]].<ref name="JoE">{{cite journal |last1=Li |first1=S |last2=Winuthayanon |first2=W |title=Oviduct: roles in fertilization and early embryo development. |journal=The Journal of Endocrinology |date=January 2017 |volume=232 |issue=1 |pages=R1–R26 |doi=10.1530/JOE-16-0302 |pmid=27875265}}</ref><ref name="Harris">{{cite journal |last1=Harris |first1=EA |last2=Stephens |first2=KK |last3=Winuthayanon |first3=W |title=Extracellular Vesicles and the Oviduct Function. |journal=International Journal of Molecular Sciences |date=5 November 2020 |volume=21 |issue=21 |page=8280 |doi=10.3390/ijms21218280 |pmid=33167378|pmc=7663821 |doi-access=free }}</ref> |
||
===Parts=== |
===Parts=== |
||
The uterus opens into the |
The uterus opens into the Fallopian tube at the proximal tubal opening (also called the proximal ostium or os<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Thurmond AS, Brandt KR, Gorrill MJ|date=March 1999|title=Tubal Obstruction after Ligation Reversal Surgery: Results of Catheter Recanalization|url=http://radiology.rsna.org/content/210/3/747.figures-only|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415175734/http://radiology.rsna.org/content/210/3/747.figures-only|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-04-15|journal=Radiology|volume=210|issue=3|pages=747–750|doi=10.1148/radiology.210.3.r99mr10747|pmid=10207477|access-date=2010-05-28}}</ref>), after the [[uterotubal junction]], and accessible via hysteroscopy. Occlusion at this opening is referred to as proximal [[tubal occlusion]]. From there there are three named parts of the Fallopian tube; the ''isthmus'', the ''ampulla'', and the ''infundibulum''. The ''isthmus'' sits next to the opening of the Fallopian tube into the uterus. It connects to the ampulla ({{Lang-la|flask}}), which curves over the ovary and is the most common site of [[human fertilization]]. |
||
The ampulla connects with the infundibulum, which rests above the ovaries, and ends at the distal tubal opening (or abdominal ostium)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gfmer.ch/International_activities_En/El_Mowafi/Fallopian_tube.htm|title=Fallopian Tube|work=Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research|access-date=2010-05-28|vauthors=EI-Mowafi DM, Diamond MM}}</ref> into the [[abdominal cavity]] where, in [[ovulation]], the [[oocyte]] enters the |
The ampulla connects with the infundibulum, which rests above the ovaries, and ends at the distal tubal opening (or abdominal ostium)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gfmer.ch/International_activities_En/El_Mowafi/Fallopian_tube.htm|title=Fallopian Tube|work=Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research|access-date=2010-05-28|vauthors=EI-Mowafi DM, Diamond MM}}</ref> into the [[abdominal cavity]] where, in [[ovulation]], the [[oocyte]] enters the Fallopian tube. The opening is surrounded by fimbriae, which help in the collection of the oocyte. Occlusion of this opening is referred to as distal tubal occlusion. The fimbriae (singular fimbria) is a fringe of tissue around the ostium of the Fallopian tube, in the direction of the ovary. Of all fimbriae, one fimbria is long enough to reach the ovary. It is called ''fimbria ovarica''.<ref>[http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?ovarian+fimbria Cancerweb- ovarian fimbria]</ref><ref>Daftary, Shirish; Chakravarti, Sudip (2011). Manual of Obstetrics, 3rd Edition. Elsevier. pp. 1-16. {{ISBN|9788131225561}}.</ref> |
||
An ovary is not directly connected to its adjacent |
An ovary is not directly connected to its adjacent Fallopian tube. When ovulation is about to occur, the [[sex hormones]] activate the fimbriae, causing them to swell with blood and hit the ovary in a gentle, sweeping motion. An oocyte is released from the ovary into the peritoneal cavity and the cilia of the fimbriae sweep the ovum into the Fallopian tube. |
||
===Microanatomy=== |
===Microanatomy=== |
||
When viewed under the microscope, the |
When viewed under the microscope, the Fallopian tube has four to five layers (depending on the classification system used). From outer to inner these are the [[serosa]], [[subserosa]], [[muscular layer|muscularis]], [[submucosa]] and innermost [[mucosa]] with [[lamina propria]] and epithelium. The serosa is derived from the visceral [[peritoneum]]. The subserosa is composed of loose adventitious tissue, blood vessels, lymphatics. The muscularis consist of outer longitudinal and inner circular [[Smooth muscle tissue|smooth muscle]] coats. This layer is responsible for the rhythmic contraction, called [[peristalsis]], of the Fallopian tubes.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last1=Daftary |first1=Shirish |last2=Chakravarti |first2=Sudip |year=2011 |title=Manual of Obstetrics |edition=3rd |publisher=Elsevier |pages=1–16 |isbn=978-81-312-2556-1 }}</ref> The histological features of tube vary along its length. The mucosa of the ampulla contains an extensive array of complex folds, whereas the relatively narrow isthmus has a thick muscular coat and simple mucosal folds.<ref name=":0" /> |
||
[[File:Histology of ciliated columnar epithelium of the fallopian tube.jpg|thumb|Histology of ciliated columnar epithelium of the |
[[File:Histology of ciliated columnar epithelium of the fallopian tube.jpg|thumb|Histology of ciliated columnar epithelium of the Fallopian tube]] |
||
The innermost layer of the tube is an [[epithelium]] composed of a single layer of [[simple columnar epithelium|column-shaped cells]]. The columnar cells have microscopic hair-like filaments called [[cilia]] throughout the tube, most numerous in the infundibulum and ampulla. [[Estrogen]] increases the formation of cilia on these cells. Between the ciliated cells are [[peg cells]], which contain apical granules and produce tubular fluid. This fluid contains nutrients for [[spermatozoa]], [[oocytes]], and [[zygotes]]. The secretions also promote [[capacitation]] of the sperm by removing [[glycoprotein]]s and other molecules from the plasma membrane of the sperm. [[Progesterone]] increases the number of peg cells, while estrogen increases their height and secretory activity. Fluid flows through the tubes towards the ovaries, the opposite direction to the action of the cilia. |
The innermost layer of the tube is an [[epithelium]] composed of a single layer of [[simple columnar epithelium|column-shaped cells]]. The columnar cells have microscopic hair-like filaments called [[cilia]] throughout the tube, most numerous in the infundibulum and ampulla. [[Estrogen]] increases the formation of cilia on these cells. Between the ciliated cells are [[peg cells]], which contain apical granules and produce tubular fluid. This fluid contains nutrients for [[spermatozoa]], [[oocytes]], and [[zygotes]]. The secretions also promote [[capacitation]] of the sperm by removing [[glycoprotein]]s and other molecules from the plasma membrane of the sperm. [[Progesterone]] increases the number of peg cells, while estrogen increases their height and secretory activity. Fluid flows through the tubes towards the ovaries, the opposite direction to the action of the cilia. |
||
===Development=== |
===Development=== |
||
[[File:Gray1117.png|thumb|Sketch of a human [[embryo]] from ''[[Gray's Anatomy]]''; from eight and a half to nine weeks old, showing the mullerian (paramesonephric ducts), their position, and how they are becoming fused.]] |
[[File:Gray1117.png|thumb|Sketch of a human [[embryo]] from ''[[Gray's Anatomy]]''; from eight and a half to nine weeks old, showing the mullerian (paramesonephric ducts), their position, and how they are becoming fused.]] |
||
<!--Overall development-->[[Embryo]]s develop a [[urogenital ridge]] that forms at their tail end and eventually forms the basis for the [[urinary system]] and [[reproductive tract]]s. Either side and to the front of this tract, around the sixth week develops a duct called the [[paramesonephric duct]], also called the Müllerian duct.{{sfn|Blausteins|2011|pp=530-531}} A second duct, the [[mesonephric duct]], develops adjacent to this. Both ducts become longer over the next two weeks, and the paramesonephric ducts around the eighth week cross to meet in the midline and fuse.{{sfn|Blausteins|2011|pp=530-531}} One duct then regresses, with this depending on whether the embryo is genetically [[female]] or [[male]]. In females, the paramesonephric duct remains, and eventually forms the female reproductive tract.{{sfn|Blausteins|2011|pp=530-531}} The portions of the paramesonephric duct which are more [[Anatomical terms of location#cranial|cranial]] - that is, further from the tail-end, end up forming the |
<!--Overall development-->[[Embryo]]s develop a [[urogenital ridge]] that forms at their tail end and eventually forms the basis for the [[urinary system]] and [[reproductive tract]]s. Either side and to the front of this tract, around the sixth week develops a duct called the [[paramesonephric duct]], also called the Müllerian duct.{{sfn|Blausteins|2011|pp=530-531}} A second duct, the [[mesonephric duct]], develops adjacent to this. Both ducts become longer over the next two weeks, and the paramesonephric ducts around the eighth week cross to meet in the midline and fuse.{{sfn|Blausteins|2011|pp=530-531}} One duct then regresses, with this depending on whether the embryo is genetically [[female]] or [[male]]. In females, the paramesonephric duct remains, and eventually forms the female reproductive tract.{{sfn|Blausteins|2011|pp=530-531}} The portions of the paramesonephric duct which are more [[Anatomical terms of location#cranial|cranial]] - that is, further from the tail-end, end up forming the fallopian tubes.{{sfn|Blausteins|2011|pp=530-531}} In males, because of the presence of the Y sex [[chromosome]], [[anti-mullerian hormone]] is produced. This leads to the degeneration of the paramesonephric duct.{{sfn|Blausteins|2011|pp=530-531}} |
||
<!--Shape and fimbriae-->As the uterus develops, the part of the |
<!--Shape and fimbriae-->As the uterus develops, the part of the fallopian tubes closer to the uterus, the ampulla, becomes larger. Extensions from the fallopian tubes, the fimbriae, develop over time. |
||
<!--Genetic factors-->Apart from the presence of sex chromosomes, specific genes associated with the development of the |
<!--Genetic factors-->Apart from the presence of sex chromosomes, specific genes associated with the development of the fallopian tubes include the [[Wnt signaling pathway|Wnt]] and [[Hox gene|Hox]] groups of genes, [[Lim1 (gene)|Lim1]], [[Pax2]], and [[Emx2]].{{sfn|Blausteins|2011|pp=530-531}} |
||
[[Embryo]]s have two pairs of ducts to let [[gamete]]s out of the body; one pair (the [[Müllerian duct]]s) develops in females into the |
[[Embryo]]s have two pairs of ducts to let [[gamete]]s out of the body; one pair (the [[Müllerian duct]]s) develops in females into the fallopian tubes, uterus, and [[vagina]], while the other pair (the [[Wolffian duct]]s) develops in males into the [[epididymis]] and vas deferens. |
||
The homologous organ in the male is the rudimentary [[appendix testis]].{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} |
The homologous organ in the male is the rudimentary [[appendix testis]].{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} |
||
Line 54: | Line 54: | ||
===Fertilization=== |
===Fertilization=== |
||
[[File:Fertilization.jpg|thumb|After [[ovulation]], the egg ([[oocyte]]) passes from the ovary (left) through the |
[[File:Fertilization.jpg|thumb|After [[ovulation]], the egg ([[oocyte]]) passes from the ovary (left) through the Fallopian tube to the uterus (right). |alt=]] |
||
The |
The fallopian tube allows the passage of an egg from the ovary to the uterus. When an [[ovum|oocyte]] is developing in an ovary, it is surrounded by a spherical collection of cells known as an [[ovarian follicle]]. Just before ovulation, the primary oocyte completes [[meiosis I]] to form the first [[polar body]] and a secondary oocyte which is arrested in [[metaphase]] of [[meiosis II]]. |
||
At the time of [[ovulation]] in the [[menstrual cycle]], the secondary oocyte is released from the ovary. The follicle and the ovary's wall rupture, allowing the secondary oocyte to escape. The secondary oocyte is caught by the fimbriated end of the |
At the time of [[ovulation]] in the [[menstrual cycle]], the secondary oocyte is released from the ovary. The follicle and the ovary's wall rupture, allowing the secondary oocyte to escape. The secondary oocyte is caught by the fimbriated end of the fallopian tube and travels to the ampulla. Here, the egg is able to become fertilized with sperm. The ampulla is typically where the sperm are met and [[fertilization]] occurs; meiosis II is promptly completed. After fertilization, the ovum is now called a [[zygote]] and travels towards the uterus with the aid of the hair-like [[cilia]] and the activity of the muscle of the fallopian tube. The early embryo requires critical development in the fallopian tube.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Li |first1=Shuai |last2=Winuthayanon |first2=Wipawee |title=Oviduct: roles in fertilization and early embryo development |journal=Journal of Endocrinology |date=January 2017 |volume=232 |issue=1 |pages=R1–R26 |doi=10.1530/JOE-16-0302 |pmid=27875265 |doi-access=free }}</ref> After about five days the new [[embryo]] enters the [[uterine cavity]] and on about the sixth day [[Implantation (human embryo)|implants]] on the wall of the uterus. |
||
The release of an oocyte does not alternate between the two ovaries and seems to be random. After removal of an ovary, the remaining one produces an egg every month.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/womens_health_issues/biology_of_the_female_reproductive_system/menstrual_cycle.html |title=Menstrual Cycle: Biology of the Female Reproductive System: Merck Manual Home Health Handbook |publisher=[[Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy|Merck.com]] |access-date=2011-03-06}}</ref> |
The release of an oocyte does not alternate between the two ovaries and seems to be random. After removal of an ovary, the remaining one produces an egg every month.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/womens_health_issues/biology_of_the_female_reproductive_system/menstrual_cycle.html |title=Menstrual Cycle: Biology of the Female Reproductive System: Merck Manual Home Health Handbook |publisher=[[Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy|Merck.com]] |access-date=2011-03-06}}</ref> |
||
Line 64: | Line 64: | ||
===Inflammation=== |
===Inflammation=== |
||
{{Main|Salpingitis}} |
{{Main|Salpingitis}} |
||
[[Salpingitis]] is inflammation of the |
[[Salpingitis]] is inflammation of the fallopian tubes and may be found alone, or as part of [[pelvic inflammatory disease]] (PID). A thickening of the fallopian tube at its narrow portion, due to inflammation, is known as [[salpingitis isthmica nodosa]]. Like PID and [[endometriosis]], it may lead to [[fallopian tube obstruction]]. Fallopian tube obstruction may be a cause of [[infertility]] or [[ectopic pregnancy]].<ref name="emedicine">{{eMedicine|med|2059|Salpingitis}}</ref> |
||
===Cancer=== |
===Cancer=== |
||
{{Main| |
{{Main|Fallopian tube cancer}} |
||
[[ |
[[Fallopian tube cancer]], which typically arises from the [[epithelial]] lining of the fallopian tube, has historically been considered to be a very rare malignancy. Recent evidence suggests it probably represents a significant portion of what has been classified as [[ovarian cancer]] in the past.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hirst |first1=Jane E. |last2=Gard |first2=Gregory B. |last3=McIllroy |first3=Kirsty |last4=Nevell |first4=David |last5=Field |first5=Michael |title=High Rates of Occult Fallopian Tube Cancer Diagnosed at Prophylactic Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy |journal=International Journal of Gynecological Cancer |date=July 2009 |volume=19 |issue=5 |pages=826–829 |doi=10.1111/IGC.0b013e3181a1b5dc |pmid=19574767 |s2cid=6496116 }}</ref> While tubal cancers may be misdiagnosed as ovarian cancer, it is of little consequence as the treatment of both ovarian and fallopian tube cancer is similar.{{uncited|date=April 2020}} |
||
===Implantation=== |
===Implantation=== |
||
{{Main|Ectopic pregnancy}} |
{{Main|Ectopic pregnancy}} |
||
[[File:Ectopic Pregnancy.png|thumb|lmplantation sites resulting in normal or ectopic pregnancies]] |
[[File:Ectopic Pregnancy.png|thumb|lmplantation sites resulting in normal or ectopic pregnancies]] |
||
Occasionally the embryo implants into the |
Occasionally the embryo implants into the fallopian tube instead of the [[uterus]], creating an [[ectopic pregnancy]], commonly known as a "tubal pregnancy". |
||
===Blockage or narrowing=== |
===Blockage or narrowing=== |
||
Line 79: | Line 79: | ||
===Surgery=== |
===Surgery=== |
||
[[File:Fallopian Tube Surgical Procedures.png|thumb|upright=1.2|Example and location of some surgical procedures performed on the |
[[File:Fallopian Tube Surgical Procedures.png|thumb|upright=1.2|Example and location of some surgical procedures performed on the Fallopian tubes|alt=]] |
||
The surgical removal of a |
The surgical removal of a fallopian tube is called a [[salpingectomy]]. To remove both tubes is a bilateral salpingectomy. An operation that combines the removal of a fallopian tube with the removal of at least one ovary is a [[Oophorectomy|salpingo-oophorectomy]]. An operation to remove a fallopian tube obstruction is called a [[tuboplasty]]. |
||
=== Other === |
=== Other === |
||
It is possible for the |
It is possible for the Fallopian tube to [[pelvic organ prolapse|prolapse]] into the vaginal canal following a hysterectomy, if the vaginal cuff is open. Given the beefy-red appearance of the tubes, it is possible to mistake the tube for either a tumor or granulation tissue at the vaginal cuff. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.glowm.com/section_view/heading/Benign%20Neoplasms%20of%20the%20Vagina/item/5|title=Benign Neoplasms of the Vagina {{!}} GLOWM|website=www.glowm.com|language=en|access-date=2018-03-11}}</ref> |
||
==History== |
==History== |
||
The |
The Fallopian tubes are named after the 16th-century [[Italy|Italian]] anatomist [[Gabriele Falloppio]], the first person to provide a detailed description of the tubes.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Falloppii |first1=Gabrielis |title=Observationes Anatomicae Ad Petrum Mannam Medicum Cremonensem |date=1561 |publisher=Venetiis, M. A. Ulmum}}</ref>{{sfn|Blausteins|2011|p=530}} He thought they resembled [[trumpet]]s, ''{{lang|it|tube}}'' in Italian, which was misunderstood and became the English "tube".<ref>{{Cite episode |title=A Medley of Maladies |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/qi/episodes/13/1/ |access-date=2 July 2017 |series=QI |series-link=QI |station=[[BBC Two]] |date=16 October 2015 |series-no=M |number=1 |minutes=0:38:37 |transcript=Transcript from Subsaga.com |transcript-url=https://subsaga.com/bbc/comedy/qi-xl/series-m/1-a-medley-of-maladies.html#transcript |quote=He thought they reminded him of what were in those days rather long musical instruments with an end like a trumpet's bell, these were tubas. And so he called them ''tubas''. And if you have a tuba, if you have a word ending in A in Italian, how do you pluralise it? What is two ''tuba''? ... ''Tube''. With an E on the end, spelled T-U-B-E. So, when it went around the world as his ''tube'', his ''tubas'', people saw the word ''tube''. But, in fact, he had called them ''tubas''. }} |
||
</ref> |
</ref> |
||
Though the name ''Fallopian tube'' is [[eponymous]], it is often spelt with a lower case ''f'' from the assumption that the adjective ''fallopian'' has been absorbed into modern English as |
Though the name ''Fallopian tube'' is [[eponymous]], it is often spelt with a lower case ''f'' from the assumption that the adjective ''fallopian'' has been absorbed into modern English as the ''{{lang|la|de facto}}'' name for the structure.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}} |
||
==Additional images== |
==Additional images== |
||
[[File:Illu ovary.jpg|thumb|300px|Numbered image showing parts of the |
[[File:Illu ovary.jpg|thumb|300px|Numbered image showing parts of the Fallopian tubes and surrounding structures. 1: [[Ovary]]<br>2: Medial surface<br>3: Lateral surface<br>4: Free border<br>5: Mesovarial margin<br>6: Tubal extremity<br>7: Uterine extremity<br>8: '''Fallopian tube'''<br>9: Distal opening of the Fallopian tube<br>10: Infundibulum of the Fallopian tube<br>11: Fimbriae of the Fallopian tube<br>12: Ovarian fimbria<br>13: Ampulla of the Fallopian tube<br>14: Isthmus of the Fallopian tube<br>15: Uterine part of the Fallopian tube<br>16: Proximal opening of the Fallopian tube]] |
||
[[File:Scheme female reproductive system-number-full-cropped.svg|thumb|400px|1. '''[[Vulva]]''' |
[[File:Scheme female reproductive system-number-full-cropped.svg|thumb|400px|1. '''[[Vulva]]''' |
||
9. '''[[Vagina]]'''; |
9. '''[[Vagina]]'''; |
||
14. '''[[Uterus]]''';<br> |
14. '''[[Uterus]]''';<br> |
||
24. ''' |
24. '''Fallopian tube''': |
||
25. Isthmus; |
25. Isthmus; |
||
26. [[Ampulla of |
26. [[Ampulla of Fallopian tube|Ampulla]]; |
||
27. [[Infundibulum of uterine tube|Infundibulum]]; |
27. [[Infundibulum of uterine tube|Infundibulum]]; |
||
28. [[Fimbriae of uterine tube|Fimbria]] (with |
28. [[Fimbriae of uterine tube|Fimbria]] (with |
||
Line 118: | Line 118: | ||
]] |
]] |
||
<gallery> |
<gallery> |
||
File:Gray1161.png|Image showing the right |
File:Gray1161.png|Image showing the right Fallopian tube (here labeled the uterine tube) seen from behind. The uterus, ovaries and right broad ligament are labeled. |
||
File:Uterus.jpg|Isthmus of the |
File:Uterus.jpg|Isthmus of the Fallopian tube seen arising from the uterus in a [[Cadaver|cadaveric]] specimen |
||
</gallery> |
</gallery> |
||
Revision as of 19:12, 20 April 2022
Fallopian tube | |
---|---|
![]() Uterus and fallopian tubes | |
![]() Cross-section of Fallopian tube, stained and viewed under microscope | |
Details | |
System | Reproductive system |
Artery | tubal branches of ovarian artery, tubal branch of uterine artery via mesosalpinx |
Lymph | lumbar lymph nodes |
Identifiers | |
Latin | Tuba uterina |
Greek | Salpinx |
MeSH | D005187 |
TA98 | A09.1.02.001 |
TA2 | 3486 |
FMA | 18245 |
Anatomical terminology |
The Fallopian tubes, also known as uterine tubes, salpinges (singular salpinx), or oviducts, are tubes that stretch from the ovaries to the uterus, in the human female reproductive system. In other mammals they are called oviducts.
A fertilized egg passes through the Fallopian tubes from the ovaries to the uterus. The Fallopian tubes are lined with simple columnar epithelium with hair-like extensions called cilia which carry the fertilized egg.
The name comes from the Catholic priest and anatomist Gabriele Falloppio, for whom other anatomical structures are also named.
Structure
The Fallopian tube is composed of four parts. These are, described from near the ovaries to inwards near the uterus, the infundibulum with its associated fimbriae near the ovary, the ampulla that represents the major portion of the lateral tube, the isthmus, which is the narrower part of the tube that links to the uterus, and the interstitial (or intramural) part, the narrowest part of the uterine tube, that crosses the muscles of the uterine. The average length of a fallopian tube is 11-12 cm.[1] In other mammals the Fallopian tube is called the oviduct which may also be used in reference to the Fallopian tube in the human.[2][3]
Parts
The uterus opens into the Fallopian tube at the proximal tubal opening (also called the proximal ostium or os[4]), after the uterotubal junction, and accessible via hysteroscopy. Occlusion at this opening is referred to as proximal tubal occlusion. From there there are three named parts of the Fallopian tube; the isthmus, the ampulla, and the infundibulum. The isthmus sits next to the opening of the Fallopian tube into the uterus. It connects to the ampulla (Latin: flask), which curves over the ovary and is the most common site of human fertilization.
The ampulla connects with the infundibulum, which rests above the ovaries, and ends at the distal tubal opening (or abdominal ostium)[5] into the abdominal cavity where, in ovulation, the oocyte enters the Fallopian tube. The opening is surrounded by fimbriae, which help in the collection of the oocyte. Occlusion of this opening is referred to as distal tubal occlusion. The fimbriae (singular fimbria) is a fringe of tissue around the ostium of the Fallopian tube, in the direction of the ovary. Of all fimbriae, one fimbria is long enough to reach the ovary. It is called fimbria ovarica.[6][7]
An ovary is not directly connected to its adjacent Fallopian tube. When ovulation is about to occur, the sex hormones activate the fimbriae, causing them to swell with blood and hit the ovary in a gentle, sweeping motion. An oocyte is released from the ovary into the peritoneal cavity and the cilia of the fimbriae sweep the ovum into the Fallopian tube.
Microanatomy
When viewed under the microscope, the Fallopian tube has four to five layers (depending on the classification system used). From outer to inner these are the serosa, subserosa, muscularis, submucosa and innermost mucosa with lamina propria and epithelium. The serosa is derived from the visceral peritoneum. The subserosa is composed of loose adventitious tissue, blood vessels, lymphatics. The muscularis consist of outer longitudinal and inner circular smooth muscle coats. This layer is responsible for the rhythmic contraction, called peristalsis, of the Fallopian tubes.[8] The histological features of tube vary along its length. The mucosa of the ampulla contains an extensive array of complex folds, whereas the relatively narrow isthmus has a thick muscular coat and simple mucosal folds.[8]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Histology_of_ciliated_columnar_epithelium_of_the_fallopian_tube.jpg/220px-Histology_of_ciliated_columnar_epithelium_of_the_fallopian_tube.jpg)
The innermost layer of the tube is an epithelium composed of a single layer of column-shaped cells. The columnar cells have microscopic hair-like filaments called cilia throughout the tube, most numerous in the infundibulum and ampulla. Estrogen increases the formation of cilia on these cells. Between the ciliated cells are peg cells, which contain apical granules and produce tubular fluid. This fluid contains nutrients for spermatozoa, oocytes, and zygotes. The secretions also promote capacitation of the sperm by removing glycoproteins and other molecules from the plasma membrane of the sperm. Progesterone increases the number of peg cells, while estrogen increases their height and secretory activity. Fluid flows through the tubes towards the ovaries, the opposite direction to the action of the cilia.
Development
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Gray1117.png/220px-Gray1117.png)
Embryos develop a urogenital ridge that forms at their tail end and eventually forms the basis for the urinary system and reproductive tracts. Either side and to the front of this tract, around the sixth week develops a duct called the paramesonephric duct, also called the Müllerian duct.[9] A second duct, the mesonephric duct, develops adjacent to this. Both ducts become longer over the next two weeks, and the paramesonephric ducts around the eighth week cross to meet in the midline and fuse.[9] One duct then regresses, with this depending on whether the embryo is genetically female or male. In females, the paramesonephric duct remains, and eventually forms the female reproductive tract.[9] The portions of the paramesonephric duct which are more cranial - that is, further from the tail-end, end up forming the fallopian tubes.[9] In males, because of the presence of the Y sex chromosome, anti-mullerian hormone is produced. This leads to the degeneration of the paramesonephric duct.[9]
As the uterus develops, the part of the fallopian tubes closer to the uterus, the ampulla, becomes larger. Extensions from the fallopian tubes, the fimbriae, develop over time.
Apart from the presence of sex chromosomes, specific genes associated with the development of the fallopian tubes include the Wnt and Hox groups of genes, Lim1, Pax2, and Emx2.[9]
Embryos have two pairs of ducts to let gametes out of the body; one pair (the Müllerian ducts) develops in females into the fallopian tubes, uterus, and vagina, while the other pair (the Wolffian ducts) develops in males into the epididymis and vas deferens.
The homologous organ in the male is the rudimentary appendix testis.[citation needed]
Function
Fertilization
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Fertilization.jpg/220px-Fertilization.jpg)
The fallopian tube allows the passage of an egg from the ovary to the uterus. When an oocyte is developing in an ovary, it is surrounded by a spherical collection of cells known as an ovarian follicle. Just before ovulation, the primary oocyte completes meiosis I to form the first polar body and a secondary oocyte which is arrested in metaphase of meiosis II.
At the time of ovulation in the menstrual cycle, the secondary oocyte is released from the ovary. The follicle and the ovary's wall rupture, allowing the secondary oocyte to escape. The secondary oocyte is caught by the fimbriated end of the fallopian tube and travels to the ampulla. Here, the egg is able to become fertilized with sperm. The ampulla is typically where the sperm are met and fertilization occurs; meiosis II is promptly completed. After fertilization, the ovum is now called a zygote and travels towards the uterus with the aid of the hair-like cilia and the activity of the muscle of the fallopian tube. The early embryo requires critical development in the fallopian tube.[10] After about five days the new embryo enters the uterine cavity and on about the sixth day implants on the wall of the uterus.
The release of an oocyte does not alternate between the two ovaries and seems to be random. After removal of an ovary, the remaining one produces an egg every month.[11]
Clinical significance
Inflammation
Salpingitis is inflammation of the fallopian tubes and may be found alone, or as part of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). A thickening of the fallopian tube at its narrow portion, due to inflammation, is known as salpingitis isthmica nodosa. Like PID and endometriosis, it may lead to fallopian tube obstruction. Fallopian tube obstruction may be a cause of infertility or ectopic pregnancy.[12]
Cancer
Fallopian tube cancer, which typically arises from the epithelial lining of the fallopian tube, has historically been considered to be a very rare malignancy. Recent evidence suggests it probably represents a significant portion of what has been classified as ovarian cancer in the past.[13] While tubal cancers may be misdiagnosed as ovarian cancer, it is of little consequence as the treatment of both ovarian and fallopian tube cancer is similar.[citation needed]
Implantation
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Ectopic_Pregnancy.png/220px-Ectopic_Pregnancy.png)
Occasionally the embryo implants into the fallopian tube instead of the uterus, creating an ectopic pregnancy, commonly known as a "tubal pregnancy".
Blockage or narrowing
While full testing of tubal functions in patients with infertility is not possible, testing of whether the tubes are open, called patency, is important as tubal obstruction is a major cause of infertility. A hysterosalpingogram, laparoscopy and dye, or hysterocontrast sonography will demonstrate whether the tubes are open. Tubal insufflation is a standard procedure for testing patency. During surgery, the condition of the tubes may be inspected and a dye such as methylene blue can be injected into the uterus and shown to pass through the tubes when the cervix is occluded. As tubal disease is often related to Chlamydia infection, testing for Chlamydia antibodies has become a cost-effective screening device for tubal pathology.[14]
Surgery
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Fallopian_Tube_Surgical_Procedures.png/260px-Fallopian_Tube_Surgical_Procedures.png)
The surgical removal of a fallopian tube is called a salpingectomy. To remove both tubes is a bilateral salpingectomy. An operation that combines the removal of a fallopian tube with the removal of at least one ovary is a salpingo-oophorectomy. An operation to remove a fallopian tube obstruction is called a tuboplasty.
Other
It is possible for the Fallopian tube to prolapse into the vaginal canal following a hysterectomy, if the vaginal cuff is open. Given the beefy-red appearance of the tubes, it is possible to mistake the tube for either a tumor or granulation tissue at the vaginal cuff. [15]
History
The Fallopian tubes are named after the 16th-century Italian anatomist Gabriele Falloppio, the first person to provide a detailed description of the tubes.[16][17] He thought they resembled trumpets, tube in Italian, which was misunderstood and became the English "tube".[18]
Though the name Fallopian tube is eponymous, it is often spelt with a lower case f from the assumption that the adjective fallopian has been absorbed into modern English as the de facto name for the structure.[citation needed]
Additional images
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Illu_ovary.jpg/300px-Illu_ovary.jpg)
2: Medial surface
3: Lateral surface
4: Free border
5: Mesovarial margin
6: Tubal extremity
7: Uterine extremity
8: Fallopian tube
9: Distal opening of the Fallopian tube
10: Infundibulum of the Fallopian tube
11: Fimbriae of the Fallopian tube
12: Ovarian fimbria
13: Ampulla of the Fallopian tube
14: Isthmus of the Fallopian tube
15: Uterine part of the Fallopian tube
16: Proximal opening of the Fallopian tube
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Scheme_female_reproductive_system-number-full-cropped.svg/400px-Scheme_female_reproductive_system-number-full-cropped.svg.png)
24. Fallopian tube: 25. Isthmus; 26. Ampulla; 27. Infundibulum; 28. Fimbria (with 29. Fimbria ovarica)
30. Ovary
31. Visceral pelvic peritoneum: 32. Broad ligament (with 33. Mesosalpinx;
Ligaments: 36. Round; 37. Ovarian; 38. Suspensory of ovary
Blood vessels: 39. Ovarian artery and vein; 40. Uterine artery and veins
Other: 48. Abdominal cavity
-
Image showing the right Fallopian tube (here labeled the uterine tube) seen from behind. The uterus, ovaries and right broad ligament are labeled.
-
Isthmus of the Fallopian tube seen arising from the uterus in a cadaveric specimen
See also
References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 1257 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)
- ^ Eddy, Carlton A; Pauerstein, Carl J (December 1980). "Anatomy and physiology of the fallopian tube". Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology. 23 (4): 1177–93. doi:10.1097/00003081-198012000-00023. PMID 7004702. S2CID 42445339.
- ^ Li, S; Winuthayanon, W (January 2017). "Oviduct: roles in fertilization and early embryo development". The Journal of Endocrinology. 232 (1): R1–R26. doi:10.1530/JOE-16-0302. PMID 27875265.
- ^ Harris, EA; Stephens, KK; Winuthayanon, W (5 November 2020). "Extracellular Vesicles and the Oviduct Function". International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 21 (21): 8280. doi:10.3390/ijms21218280. PMC 7663821. PMID 33167378.
- ^ Thurmond AS, Brandt KR, Gorrill MJ (March 1999). "Tubal Obstruction after Ligation Reversal Surgery: Results of Catheter Recanalization". Radiology. 210 (3): 747–750. doi:10.1148/radiology.210.3.r99mr10747. PMID 10207477. Archived from the original on 2013-04-15. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
- ^ EI-Mowafi DM, Diamond MM. "Fallopian Tube". Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
- ^ Cancerweb- ovarian fimbria
- ^ Daftary, Shirish; Chakravarti, Sudip (2011). Manual of Obstetrics, 3rd Edition. Elsevier. pp. 1-16. ISBN 9788131225561.
- ^ a b Daftary, Shirish; Chakravarti, Sudip (2011). Manual of Obstetrics (3rd ed.). Elsevier. pp. 1–16. ISBN 978-81-312-2556-1.
- ^ a b c d e f Blausteins 2011, pp. 530–531.
- ^ Li, Shuai; Winuthayanon, Wipawee (January 2017). "Oviduct: roles in fertilization and early embryo development". Journal of Endocrinology. 232 (1): R1–R26. doi:10.1530/JOE-16-0302. PMID 27875265.
- ^ "Menstrual Cycle: Biology of the Female Reproductive System: Merck Manual Home Health Handbook". Merck.com. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
- ^ Salpingitis at eMedicine
- ^ Hirst, Jane E.; Gard, Gregory B.; McIllroy, Kirsty; Nevell, David; Field, Michael (July 2009). "High Rates of Occult Fallopian Tube Cancer Diagnosed at Prophylactic Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy". International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. 19 (5): 826–829. doi:10.1111/IGC.0b013e3181a1b5dc. PMID 19574767. S2CID 6496116.
- ^ Kodaman PH, Arici A, Seli E (June 2004). "Evidence-based diagnosis and management of tubal factor infertility". Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 16 (3): 221–9. doi:10.1097/00001703-200406000-00004. PMID 15129051. S2CID 43312882.
- ^ "Benign Neoplasms of the Vagina | GLOWM". www.glowm.com. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
- ^ Falloppii, Gabrielis (1561). Observationes Anatomicae Ad Petrum Mannam Medicum Cremonensem. Venetiis, M. A. Ulmum.
- ^ Blausteins 2011, p. 530.
- ^ "A Medley of Maladies". QI. Series M. Episode 1. 16 October 2015. 0:38:37 minutes in. BBC Two. Transcript from Subsaga.com. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
He thought they reminded him of what were in those days rather long musical instruments with an end like a trumpet's bell, these were tubas. And so he called them tubas. And if you have a tuba, if you have a word ending in A in Italian, how do you pluralise it? What is two tuba? ... Tube. With an E on the end, spelled T-U-B-E. So, when it went around the world as his tube, his tubas, people saw the word tube. But, in fact, he had called them tubas.
Books
- Kurman, Robert J.; Ellenson, Lora Hedrick; Ronnett, Brigitte M., eds. (2011). "Diseases of the Fallopian Tube and Paratubal Region". Blaustein's pathology of the female genital tract (6th. ed.). Springer. ISBN 9781441904881.
External links
- Histology image: 18501loa – Histology Learning System at Boston University
- Menstrual Cycle - Merck