The Oviduct

This book offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date overview of oviduct biology, bridging fundamental anatomy, physiology, and molecular signaling with translational relevance. It aims to synthesize recent advances in developmental biology, epithelial and smooth muscle function, hormonal regulation, immune interactions, and extracellular vesicle biology, highlighting how these processes integrate to support fertilization and early embryo development. What makes this volume unique is its structure that spans from embryonic development and regional specialization, through signaling mechanisms and gamete/embryo interactions, to emerging technologies and clinical applications in infertility, contraception, and assisted reproductive technologies (ART). This holistic approach emphasizes the oviduct not simply as a passive conduct, but as a dynamic, active regulator of reproductive success. Key topics include steroid hormone action, contractility and transport, extracellular vesicles, sperm reservoir formation, oocyte pickup, embryo development, and state-of-the-art models such as organoids and single-cell omics. Given its comprehensive scope, this book is an invaluable resource for reproductive biologists, physiologists, molecular and developmental biologists, clinicians in obstetrics and gynecology, veterinarians, translational researchers, and graduate trainees who seek a definitive reference on the oviduct. This work fills a critical gap in the reproductive biology literature by offering a dedicated, integrative resource on an organ that is central to fertility but often underrepresented in textbooks.