[Detection of glycogen in oviduct epithelium in fertile women. An ultrastructural study]

The paper summarized some data about glycogen distribution in the tubal epithelium of healthy women aged 22 to 35 during the menstrual cycle at the ultrastructural level. For visualizing polysaccharide the periodic acid-thiosemicarbazide-silver proteinate reaction according to Thiéry (1967) was used. A high content of glycogen was characteristic of the ciliated cells in which 2 main distribution patterns were observed: the diffuse one and the depositary one. Glycogen particles or clusters also penetrated some of basal bodies (kinetosomes) as well as apical protrusions of these cells, in which cilia in different stages of death are visible. As for polysaccharide distribution in the nonciliated cells, it could be shown that they especially contained the monoparticulate glycogen. The ultrastructural distribution pattern of glycogen in the tubal epithelium of young women seems to be relative independent on phases of the menstrual cycle.