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Motility of the rat oviduct in vitro

Little is known about the relationship between muscular activity and ovum transport in the rat oviduct. To date the only published investigations of function in the isolated organ have relied upon measuring changes in longitudinal tension (Borda, Borda, Gimeno & Gimeno, 1973; Gimeno, Rettori, Gimeno & Coutinho, 1974). However, rat oviducts contain longitudinal and circular muscle fibres (Alden, 1942) and it would seem likely that movement of ova through the oviducts is dependent not so much upon the activity of longitudinal muscle as upon the diameter of the lumen, which is determined largely by the state of contraction of the circular fibres. Consequently, we have developed a method for recording changes in circular muscle activity from isolated rat oviducts. The method involves perfusion of the lumina of the ducts at a constant rate so that changes in the diameter of the lumen are recorded as changes in perfusion pressure. The system allows electrical stimulation and the introduction of drugs.