A morphologic study of mesotubarium ovarica in the human

In order to clarify the mechanisms by which the egg is transported from the ruptured follicle into the fimbrial end of the fallopian tube in the human, the mesotubarium ovarica (MTO), the unique anatomic structure which connects the tubal fimbriae and the ovary, was studied in seven human adnexal specimens histochemically and electronmicroscopically. The results demonstrated clearly the presence of smooth muscle cells in the MTO, and failed to demonstrate the presence of cilia in the lining epithelial cells of the MTO. A possible role of the MTO in the mechanisms of ovum pick-up at the time of ovulation is discussed.