A checkerboard pattern manifested by the oviduct epithelium of the Japanese quail

The oviduct epithelium of the Japanese quail is a monolayered epithelium consisting of two types of columnar cells, goblet type gland (G-) cells and ciliated (C-) cells. We found these cells to be arranged in a checkerboard pattern. Three types of cell boundaries formed between the two different types of cells were examined statistically at various levels of the columnar cells. There was a tendency on the part of the cells to form boundaries between G- and C- cells rather than between two C- cells or between two G- cells. We therefore propose that the pattern is constructed under a rule of maximizing the length of boundaries of two different types of cells owing to the fact that theirs is the greatest adhesion capacity. The role of microfilament bundles running along the apical cell boundaries is also discussed. It is suggested that they are in a tense state so as to shorten total length by contraction.