patency tubas salpingectomy oophorectomy salpingitis fallopian tubal labia epoophoron oocyte ciliated ostium oviduct transverses mesosalpinx merck.com nodosa falloppio nevell salpinx 9788131225561 subserosa infundibulum bartholin ovulated uterine minora serosa ampulla propria
describe the role of fallopian tube in the female reproductive system
Fallopian tube - wikipedia Fallopian tube Jump to : navigation , search This article 's lead section does not adequately summarize key points of its contents . Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article . Please discuss this issue on the article 's talk page . ( March 2015 ) <Th_colspan="2"> Fallopian tubes <Td_colspan="2"> Schematic frontal view of female anatomy <Td_colspan="2"> Vessels of the uterus and its appendages , rear view . ( Fallopian tubes visible at top right and top left . ) <Th_colspan="2"> Details Precursor Müllerian duct System Reproductive system Artery tubal branches of ovarian artery , tubal branch of uterine artery via mesosalpinx Lymph lumbar lymph nodes <Th_colspan="2"> Identifiers Latin Tuba uterina Greek Salpinx MeSH D005187 TA A09. 1.02. 001 FMA 18245 <Td_colspan="2"> Anatomical terminology ( edit on Wikidata ) The Fallopian tubes , also known as uterine tubes or salpinges ( singular salpinx ) , are two very fine tubes lined with ciliated epithelia , leading from the ovaries of female mammals into the uterus , via the uterotubal junction . They enable the passage of egg cells from the ovaries to the uterus . In non-mammalian vertebrates , the equivalent structures are called oviducts . Contents ( hide ) 1 Structure 1.1 Microanatomy 2 Function 2.1 Fertilization 3 Clinical significance 3.1 Patency testing 3.2 Inflammation 3.3 Cancer 3.4 Surgery 4 History 5 Additional images 6 See also 7 References 8 External links Structure ( edit ) In a woman 's body the tube allows passage of the egg from the ovary to the uterus . Its different segments are ( lateral to medial ) : the infundibulum with its associated fimbriae near the ovary , the ampullary region 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 ( also known as intramural ) part that transverses the uterine musculature . The ostium is the point where the tubal canal meets the peritoneal cavity , while the uterine opening of the Fallopian tube is the entrance into the uterine cavity , the uterotubal junction . Microanatomy ( edit ) Microscopic view , with a stain , of a Fallopian tube A cross section of Fallopian tube shows four distinct layers : serosa , subserosa , lamina propria and innermost mucosal layer . The serosa is derived from visceral peritoneum . Subserosa is composed of loose adventitious tissue , blood vessels , lymphatics , an outer longitudinal and inner circular smooth muscle coats . This layer is responsible for the peristaltic action of the Fallopian tubes . Lamina propria is a vascular connective tissue . There are two types of cells within the simple columnar epithelium of the Fallopian tube ( oviduct ) . Ciliated cells predominate throughout the tube , but are most numerous in the infundibulum and ampulla . Estrogen increases the production of cilia on these cells . Interspersed between the ciliated cells are peg cells , which contain apical granules and produce the 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 . Tubal fluid flows against the action of the ciliae , that is toward the fimbrial end . In view of longitudinal variation in histological features of tube , the isthmus has thick muscular coat and simple mucosal folds ; whereas ampulla has complex mucosal folds . Function ( edit ) Fertilization ( edit ) When an oocyte is developing in an ovary , it is encapsulated in a spherical collection of cells known as an ovarian follicle . Just prior to 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 . This secondary oocyte is then ovulated . The follicle and the ovary 's wall rupture , allowing the secondary oocyte to escape . The secondary oocyte is caught by the fimbriated end and travels to the ampulla of the uterine tube where typically the sperm are met and fertilization occurs ; meiosis II is promptly completed . The fertilized ovum , now a zygote , travels towards the uterus aided by activity of tubal cilia and activity of the tubal muscle . The early embryo requires critical development in the Fallopian tube . 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 . Occasionally the embryo implants into the Fallopian tube instead of the uterus , creating an ectopic pregnancy , commonly known as a `` tubal pregnancy '' . Clinical significance ( edit ) Patency testing ( edit ) While a full testing of tubal functions in patients with infertility is not possible , testing of tubal patency is important as tubal obstruction is a major cause of infertility . A hysterosalpingogram , laparoscopy and dye , or HyCoSy will demonstrate that 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 . Fallopian tube Inflammation ( edit ) Main article : Salpingitis Salpingitis is inflammation of the Fallopian tubes and may be found alone , or be a component 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 is associated with infertility and ectopic pregnancy . Cancer ( edit ) Main article : 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 . 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 . Surgery ( edit ) 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 removal of at least one ovary is a salpingo - oophorectomy . An operation to remove a Fallopian tube obstruction is called a tuboplasty . History ( edit ) They are named after their discoverer , the 16th century Italian anatomist Gabriele Falloppio , who thought they resembled tubas , the plural of tuba in Italian being tube . Though the name Fallopian tube is eponymous , some texts spell it 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 . Additional images ( edit ) Uterus and uterine tubes . See also ( edit ) This article uses anatomical terminology ; for an overview , see Anatomical terminology . Menstrual cycle References ( edit ) ^ Jump up to : Daftary , Shirish ; Chakravarti , Sudip ( 2011 ) . Manual of Obstetrics , 3rd Edition . Elsevier . pp. 1 - 16 . ISBN 9788131225561 . Jump up ^ 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 . Jump up ^ `` Menstrual Cycle : Biology of the Female Reproductive System : Merck Manual Home Health Handbook '' . Merck.com . Retrieved 2011 - 03 - 06 . Jump up ^ 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 . Jump up ^ Hirst , JE. ; Gard , GB. ; McIllroy , K. ; Nevell , D. ; Field , M. ( Jul 2009 ) . `` High rates of occult fallopian tube cancer diagnosed at prophylactic bilateral salpingo - oophorectomy '' . Int J Gynecol Cancer . 19 ( 5 ) : 826 -- 9 . doi : 10.1111 / IGC. 0b013e3181a1b5dc . PMID 19574767 . Jump up ^ `` A Medley of Maladies '' . QI . Series M. Episode 1 . Transcript from Subsaga.com. 16 October 2015 . 0 : 38 : 37 minutes in . BBC Two . 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 . External links ( edit ) Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fallopian tube . Histology image : 18501loa -- Histology Learning System at Boston University Menstrual Cycle - Merck <Th_colspan="2"> ( hide ) Female reproductive system Internal Adnexa Ovaries Follicles corpus hemorrhagicum luteum albicans Theca of follicle externa interna Follicular antrum Follicular fluid Corona radiata Zona pellucida Membrana granulosa Perivitelline space Other Germinal epithelium Tunica albuginea cortex Cumulus oophorus Stroma Medulla Fallopian tubes Isthmus Ampulla Infundibulum Fimbria Ostium Ligaments Ovarian ligament Suspensory ligament Wolffian vestiges Gartner 's duct Epoophoron Vesicular appendages of epoophoron Paroophoron Uterus Regions Body Uterine cavity Fundus Cervix External orifice Cervical canal Internal orifice Supravaginal portion Vaginal portion Uterine horns Layers Endometrium epithelium Myometrium Perimetrium Parametrium Ligaments Round ligament Broad ligament Cardinal ligament Uterosacral ligament Pubocervical ligament General Uterine glands Vagina Fossa of vestibule of vagina Vaginal fornix Hymen Vaginal rugae Support structures Vaginal epithelium External Vulva Labia Mons pubis Labia majora Anterior commissure Posterior commissure Pudendal cleft Labia minora Frenulum of labia minora Frenulum of clitoris Vulval vestibule Interlabial sulci Bulb of vestibule Vaginal orifice vestibular glands / ducts Bartholin 's glands / Bartholin 's ducts Skene 's glands / Skene 's ducts Clitoris Crus of clitoris Corpus cavernosum Clitoral glans Hood Urethra Urethral crest Other G - spot Urethral sponge Perineal sponge NDL : 00569280 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fallopian_tube&oldid=825177206 '' Categories : Mammal female reproductive system Pelvis Human female reproductive system Hidden categories : Pages with unresolved properties Wikipedia introduction cleanup from March 2015 All pages needing cleanup Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from March 2015 All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify Wikipedia articles needing clarification from July 2013 Articles containing Italian - language text Articles containing Latin - language text Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca বাংলা Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Български Bosanski Brezhoneg Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch ދިވެހިބަސް Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Galego 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Iñupiak Italiano עברית Қазақша Latina Latviešu Lietuvių Magyar Македонски मराठी Nederlands नेपाली 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Scots Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் Татарча / tatarça తెలుగు ትግርኛ Türkçe Українська ئۇيغۇرچە / Uyghurche 粵語 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 11 February 2018 , at 22 : 47 . 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