Live cell imaging of the oviduct

In the oviduct, the integrity of oocyte and sperm transport, fertilization, and early embryonic ontogenesis is essential for successful reproduction. Up to now, most of the knowledge on oocyte and sperm transport, gamete interaction and embryonic development has in most cases been gained exclusively by in vitro studies. In addition, especially the mechanisms of gameto-maternal interaction and embryo-maternal communication in the oviduct are still unknown. Recent techniques of live cell imaging and digital videomicroscopy allow for the first time to provide actual new insights in the mechanisms of sperm transport, sperm storage, oocyte transport, fertilization, gameto-maternal interaction and embryo-maternal crosstalk under near in vivo conditions. Detailed knowledge of these important events in the oviduct is the prerequisite to develop new therapeutic concepts for subfertility and infertility and to increase the success rates of the actual techniques of assisted reproduction (ART). Additionally the effects of drugs and hormones used in ART can be effectively studied using a functional oviductal epithelium. The guidelines for live cell imaging in the oviduct presented here should enable researches to establish a functional digital analysis system which allows to study physiological and pathological events in the oviduct under near in vivo conditions.