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The Development of the Human Female Reproductive Tract: Part 2-Vagina.

Cindy J M Hülsman¹, S Eleonore Köhler¹, Gabriela Morosan-Puopolo²

¹Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Clinical Anatomy (New York, N.Y.)

|August 24, 2025

Summary

Urogenital epithelium replaces Müllerian epithelium in the fetal vagina through a process involving cell mixing and a "purging zone." This transformation results in a urogenital-only epithelium, temporarily occluding the vaginal lumen.

Keywords:

mesonephric (Wolffian) duct paramesonephric (Müllerian) duct urogenital sinus uterovaginal canal vagina

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Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Human Embryology
Histology

Background:

The human fetal vagina originates from the paramesonephric (Müllerian) ducts.
The urogenital sinus epithelium contributes to the formation of the lower vagina.

Purpose of the Study:

To re-investigate the histological and cellular mechanisms of Müllerian epithelium replacement by urogenital epithelium in the human fetal vagina.
To elucidate the process of vaginal plate formation and its role in epithelial transformation.

Main Methods:

Histological analysis of human fetal vaginal development.
Three-dimensional reconstructions to visualize cellular interactions and tissue morphogenesis.

Main Results:

Urogenital sinus epithelium invades the uterovaginal canal, leading to cell mixing and formation of a transitional epithelium.
Bilateral vaginal plates form from urogenital cells, surrounding the transitional zone and creating a
purging zone
characterized by cell regression.
The entire vaginal epithelium is ultimately replaced by urogenital cells, forming a double-layered plate that temporarily occludes the lumen.

Conclusions:

The replacement of Müllerian epithelium by urogenital epithelium is a complex, multi-step process involving directed cell migration, interaction, and programmed cell death.
The formation of vaginal plates and the purging zone are critical for establishing the definitive urogenital epithelium of the vagina.