Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (652 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
A pair of highly specialized canals extending from the uterus to its corresponding ovary. They provide the means for OVUM transport from the ovaries and they are the site of the ovum's final maturation and fertilization. The fallopian tube consists of an interstitium, an isthmus, an ampulla, an infundibulum, and fimbriae. Its wall consists of three layers: serous, muscular, and an internal mucosal layer lined with both ciliated and secretory cells.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Tube, Fallopian; Tubes, Fallopian; Uterine Salpinges; Salpinx, Uterine; Oviducts, Mammalian; Mammalian Oviduct; Mammalian Oviducts; Oviduct, Mammalian.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Adnexa Uteri; Oviducts
- See also
- Hysterosalpingography; Oviducts; Salpingostomy; Sterilization, Tubal
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 13,212 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Fallopian Tubes” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 992 of them (7.5%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 8,738 records.
Reviews account for 1,025 records (7.8%) and meta-analyses for 43. Randomized controlled trials number 157 (1.2%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 8,738 |
| 2000-2009 | 1,809 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,673 |
| 2020 onward | 992 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 1,025 | 7.8% |
| Meta-analyses | 43 | 0.3% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 157 | 1.2% |
Method: PubMed query "Fallopian Tubes"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in anatomy and physiology
Anatomy describes how body structures are built and physiology describes how they normally work, so most findings here are descriptive or mechanistic rather than evidence about treatment. Much of what is known comes from dissection, imaging, tissue studies and experiments in animals, and measurements in healthy volunteers can differ from those in people with disease or at different ages. Normal ranges vary between individuals and populations. Check whether a result was measured in people or in another species, the age and health of the participants, and the method used.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The microbiota continuum along the female reproductive tract and its relation to uterine-related diseases | 2017 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 715 | cc by PMID 29042534 · DOI · PMC5645390 |
| High grade serous ovarian carcinomas originate in the fallopian tube | 2017 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 652 | cc by PMID 29061967 · DOI · PMC5653668 |
| Both fallopian tube and ovarian surface epithelium are cells-of-origin for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma | 2019 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 198 | cc by PMID 31772167 · DOI · PMC6879755 |
| GALNTL5 binds GalNAc and is required for migration through the uterotubal junction and sperm-zona pellucida binding | 2025 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 6 | cc by PMID 40962834 · DOI · PMC12443989 |
The microbiota continuum along the female reproductive tract and its relation to uterine-related diseases [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Reports on bacteria detected in maternal fluids during pregnancy are typically associated with adverse consequences, and whether the female reproductive tract harbours distinct microbial communities beyond the vagina has been a matter of debate.
- Closing excerpt
- Here, the authors show a subject-specific continuity in microbial communities at six sites along the female reproductive tract, indicative of a non-sterile environment.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (199 words)
Reports on bacteria detected in maternal fluids during pregnancy are typically associated with adverse consequences, and whether the female reproductive tract harbours distinct microbial communities beyond the vagina has been a matter of debate. Here we systematically sample the microbiota within the female reproductive tract in 110 women of reproductive age, and examine the nature of colonisation by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and cultivation. We find distinct microbial communities in cervical canal, uterus, fallopian tubes and peritoneal fluid, differing from that of the vagina. The results reflect a microbiota continuum along the female reproductive tract, indicative of a non-sterile environment. We also identify microbial taxa and potential functions that correlate with the menstrual cycle or are over-represented in subjects with adenomyosis or infertility due to endometriosis. The study provides insight into the nature of the vagino-uterine microbiome, and suggests that surveying the vaginal or cervical microbiota might be useful for detection of common diseases in the upper reproductive tract.Whether the female reproductive tract harbours distinct microbiomes beyond the vagina has been a matter of debate. Here, the authors show a subject-specific continuity in microbial communities at six sites along the female reproductive tract, indicative of a non-sterile environment.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 29042534 · DOI · PMC5645390
High grade serous ovarian carcinomas originate in the fallopian tube [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most frequent type of ovarian cancer and has a poor outcome.
- Closing excerpt
- Our results provide insights into the etiology of ovarian cancer and have implications for prevention, early detection and therapeutic intervention of this disease.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (152 words)
High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most frequent type of ovarian cancer and has a poor outcome. It has been proposed that fallopian tube cancers may be precursors of HGSOC but evolutionary evidence for this hypothesis has been limited. Here, we perform whole-exome sequence and copy number analyses of laser capture microdissected fallopian tube lesions (p53 signatures, serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas (STICs), and fallopian tube carcinomas), ovarian cancers, and metastases from nine patients. The majority of tumor-specific alterations in ovarian cancers were present in STICs, including those affecting TP53, BRCA1, BRCA2 or PTEN. Evolutionary analyses reveal that p53 signatures and STICs are precursors of ovarian carcinoma and identify a window of 7 years between development of a STIC and initiation of ovarian carcinoma, with metastases following rapidly thereafter. Our results provide insights into the etiology of ovarian cancer and have implications for prevention, early detection and therapeutic intervention of this disease.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 29061967 · DOI · PMC5653668
Both fallopian tube and ovarian surface epithelium are cells-of-origin for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The cell-of-origin of high grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) remains controversial, with fallopian tube epithelium (FTE) and ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) both considered candidates.
- Closing excerpt
- Our results comport with a dualistic origin for HGSOC and suggest that the cell-of-origin might influence therapeutic response.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (152 words)
The cell-of-origin of high grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) remains controversial, with fallopian tube epithelium (FTE) and ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) both considered candidates. Here, by using genetically engineered mouse models and organoids, we assessed the tumor-forming properties of FTE and OSE harboring the same oncogenic abnormalities. Combined RB family inactivation and Tp53 mutation in Pax8 + FTE caused Serous Tubal Intraepithelial Carcinoma (STIC), which metastasized rapidly to the ovarian surface. These events were recapitulated by orthotopic injection of mutant FTE organoids. Engineering the same genetic lesions into Lgr5 + OSE or OSE-derived organoids also caused metastatic HGSOC, although with longer latency and lower penetrance. FTE- and OSE-derived tumors had distinct transcriptomes, and comparative transcriptomics and genomics suggest that human HGSOC arises from both cell types. Finally, FTE- and OSE-derived organoids exhibited differential chemosensitivity. Our results comport with a dualistic origin for HGSOC and suggest that the cell-of-origin might influence therapeutic response.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 31772167 · DOI · PMC6879755
GALNTL5 binds GalNAc and is required for migration through the uterotubal junction and sperm-zona pellucida binding [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- More than 20 genes expressed in the male reproductive tract have been identified as essential factors for sperm migration to and through the utero-tubal junction (UTJ), and they are divided into ADAM3-dependent and ADAM3-independent pathways.
- Closing excerpt
- Thus, we unveil that GALNTL5 is a responsible factor for UTJ migration and sperm-ZP binding, and that sperm bind to the UTJ and ZP through interaction of GALNTL5 and GalNAc.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (149 words)
More than 20 genes expressed in the male reproductive tract have been identified as essential factors for sperm migration to and through the utero-tubal junction (UTJ), and they are divided into ADAM3-dependent and ADAM3-independent pathways. In parallel, sperm having UTJ migration defects also show impaired binding to the zona pellucida (ZP). Herein, we demonstrate that knockout of Galntl5, encoding a sperm surface protein, causes impaired sperm binding with the UTJ and ZP, and null males have severe infertility. GALNTL5 appreciably disappears in sperm lacking Adam3 or Lypd4, required for ADAM3-dependent and ADAM3-independent pathways, and GALNTL5 binds to N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) distributed on the UTJ and ZP. Blockage of GalNAc decreases the number of sperm binding to the UTJ and ZP. Thus, we unveil that GALNTL5 is a responsible factor for UTJ migration and sperm-ZP binding, and that sperm bind to the UTJ and ZP through interaction of GALNTL5 and GalNAc.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40962834 · DOI · PMC12443989
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Meta-analysis of risk reduction estimates associated with risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers [5]
- Research article New insights into the pathogenesis of serous ovarian cancer and its clinical impact [6]
- Research article Pathogenesis and heterogeneity of ovarian cancer [7]
- Research article Current knowledge of the aetiology of human tubal ectopic pregnancy [8]
- Research article Mammalian sperm interactions with the female reproductive tract [9]
- Research article Oviduct: roles in fertilization and early embryo development [10]
References
- Chen C, Song X, Wei W, Zhong H, Dai J, Lan Z, et al.. The microbiota continuum along the female reproductive tract and its relation to uterine-related diseases. . 2017. PMID 29042534 · DOI · PMC5645390
- Labidi-Galy SI, Papp E, Hallberg D, Niknafs N, Adleff V, Noe M, et al.. High grade serous ovarian carcinomas originate in the fallopian tube. . 2017. PMID 29061967 · DOI · PMC5653668
- Zhang S, Dolgalev I, Zhang T, Ran H, Levine DA, Neel BG. Both fallopian tube and ovarian surface epithelium are cells-of-origin for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. . 2019. PMID 31772167 · DOI · PMC6879755
- Noda T, Uriu R, Mashiko D, Shinohara H, Qu Y, Taira A, et al.. GALNTL5 binds GalNAc and is required for migration through the uterotubal junction and sperm-zona pellucida binding. . 2025. PMID 40962834 · DOI · PMC12443989
- Rebbeck TR, Kauff ND, Domchek SM. Meta-analysis of risk reduction estimates associated with risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009. PMID 19141781 · DOI · PMC2639318
- Levanon K, Crum C, Drapkin R. New insights into the pathogenesis of serous ovarian cancer and its clinical impact. J Clin Oncol. 2008. PMID 18854563 · DOI · PMC2652087
- Kroeger PT, Drapkin R. Pathogenesis and heterogeneity of ovarian cancer. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2017. PMID 27898521 · DOI · PMC5201412
- Shaw JL, Dey SK, Critchley HO, Horne AW. Current knowledge of the aetiology of human tubal ectopic pregnancy. Hum Reprod Update. 2010. PMID 20071358 · DOI · PMC2880914
- Suarez SS. Mammalian sperm interactions with the female reproductive tract. Cell Tissue Res. 2016. PMID 26183721 · DOI · PMC4703433
- Li S, Winuthayanon W. Oviduct: roles in fertilization and early embryo development. J Endocrinol. 2017. PMID 27875265 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.