最近发现的一种特殊的基质细胞——毛细胞（TCs）已在许多物种的多个器官中被鉴定出来，包括雌性和雄性生殖系统，在家庭内分别有多个潜在的生物功能，如稳态维持、免疫调节、组织重塑和再生、胚胎发生、血管新生甚至肿瘤发生。本研究旨在探讨正常马输卵管中毛细胞的存在和特征。为了鉴定它们，我们使用了常规光学显微镜、非常规光学显微镜（NCLM）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）和免疫组织化学方法。我们发现，马输卵管中的毛细胞可以通过光学显微镜（甲苯胺蓝染色）在固定标本中被识别出来，在Epon半薄片（甲苯胺蓝染色）中通过NCLM可以呈现更多细节信息，并且它们对CD34显示了阳性免疫染色。毛细胞具有典型的长而分节的突起，在粘膜下、肌肉层和浆膜层的基质空间中形成网络，特别是在自有层中数量更多。通过TEM，我们还确认了在上述部位存在的可超微结构标识为毛细胞的细胞（具有交替的podomer和podoms的telopodes细胞）。毛细胞与上皮细胞和邻近的毛细胞之间的直接细胞间接触也得以证实。总之，我们证明毛细胞存在于马的输卵管中，这与其他物种中的先前报道相同。毛细胞在生理和病理过程中可能涉及多种潜在功能，值得进一步探究。版权所有© 2023 Elsevier Inc.

Telocytes (TCs), a recently discovered special type of stromal cells, have been identified in many organs of many species, including the female and male reproductive system, with proposed multiple potential bio-functions such as homeostasis, immunomodulation, tissue remodeling and regeneration, embryogenesis, angiogenesis and even tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the existence, and characteristics of telocytes in normal equine oviduct. To identify them, we used routine light microscopy, non-conventional light microscopy (NCLM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and immunohistochemistry. We found that telocytes of the equine oviduct can be recognized in fixed specimens by light microscopy (methylene blue staining), with more details on Epon semi-thin sections (toluidine blue staining) by NCLM, and that they showed positive immunostaining for CD34. The telocytes, with their typical long and moniliform prolongations, formed networks in the stromal space of the submucosa, muscular and serosa layers, particularly in the lamina propia where they were observed in greater quantity. By TEM we have also confirmed the presence of cells ultrastructurally identifiable as telocytes (cells with telopodes alternating podomers and podoms) in the aforementioned locations. Direct intercellular contacts between epithelial cells and neighboring telocytes were evidenced. EIn conclusion, we demonstrated that telocytes are present in the equine oviduct as previously reported in other species. The potential implication of telocytes in multiple potential functions of physiological and pathological processes deserves further investigation.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.