Human Reproduction, Vol 13, 1163-1168, Copyright © 1998 by Oxford University Press
CM Imarai, A Rocha, C Acuna, J Garrido, R Vargas and H Cardenas
The epithelium is the first barrier against pathogens invading the lumen of
the human oviduct. Its expression of class II major histocompatibility
complex (MHC class II) proteins suggests that it might play a role in
antigen presentation during the local immune response. To study the role of
the oviductal epithelium in antigen processing, its endocytic properties
and MHC class II expression were examined. For assay of endocytosis,
fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled bovine serum albumin (BSA-FITC) or
Escherichia coli (E. coli-FITC) was infused into the lumen. One-centimetre
pieces of oviduct were incubated for 2 h and processed for fluorescence and
confocal microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Incorporation
into secretory and ciliated epithelial cells was observed, which was
unrelated to the phase of the menstrual cycle. Small pieces of the organs
were frozen and processed for immunohistochemistry. Most oviducts expressed
MHC class II (HLA.DR) in the epithelium and in some cases this was
coincident with endocytosis, but there was no statistically significant
association between this expression and either endocytotic activity or the
phase of the menstrual cycle. Results demonstrate that the epithelium of
the human oviduct exhibits endocytic properties towards luminal soluble and
particle antigens, which is not related either to MHC class II expression
or to the phase of the menstrual cycle.
ARTICLES
Endocytosis and MHC class II expression by human oviductal epithelium according to stage of the menstrual cycle
Laboratorio de Immunologia de la Reproduccion, Facultad de Quimica y Biologia, Universidad de Santiago de Chile.
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