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The "in vitro" spontaneous magnitude and stability with time of the isometric developed tension (IDT) and frequency of contractions of ampullar longitudinal and ampullar circular as well as isthmic longitudinal and isthmic circular muscle, from human Fallopian tubes, were explored. The effects of polyphloretin-phosphate (PPP), an inhibitor of prostaglandins (PG), upon the IDT and frequency of different tubal segments, were also explored. We looked for PGE 1 and F 2α in extracts of ampullar and isthmic tubal segments. The initial IDT and frequency (recorded at 10 minutes following equilibration) as well as the stability with time (explored afterward during 40 minutes) were comparable among all the preparations, with the exception of the isthmic longitudinal muscle, which suffered a progressive decrement of IDT. PPP inhibited significantly the IDT of the isthmic circular muscle but had no effect upon the ampullar circular muscle. Whereas PGF 2α was frequently detected in extracts from the isthmic region, those from the tubal ampullar region showed the consistent presence of PGE 1 . The results suggested a possible relationship between isthmic PGF 2α and its spontaneous motility. Also, the peculiar distribution of PGE 1 and PGF 2α could have some bearing on the regulation of the different functions of isthmic and ampullar regions of human Fallopian tubes.

1. 1. The capacity of human uterine muscle for spontaneous shortening was found to decrease with age, and the activity of myometrial samples from old, postmenopausal women was characterized by relatively rapid, feeble contraction waves. 2. 2. Myometrial samples excised from uteri with secretory endometria exhibited a slower rate of spontaneous motility than did those from uteri in the proliferative phase. Muscle shortening, however, was found to be unaffected by the ovarian cycle. 3. 3. Repeated pregnancies and labors, the presence of leiomyomas else-where in the uterus, sedatives, analgesics and anesthetic agents administered at the time of operation, as well as race, were found to be of no statistical significance as factors influencing the spontaneous motility of myometrial strips excised from the nongravid human uterus. 4. 4. Muscle samples removed from gravid uteri (from 2 months' gestation until term) exhibited no statistical differences in regard to motility, when compared with tissues from the nongravid viscus. 5. 5. In a limited number of tests, myometrial tissues from patients with primary uterine inertia exhibited a significantly reduced muscle shortening with increased frequency of contraction when compared with “normal” tissues from both nongravid and gravid uteri.