01 / Location & anatomical relationships
Extending from the upper uterus toward the ovaries.
02 / Structure & organization
Each uterine tube has an infundibulum with fimbriae, an ampulla, an isthmus and a uterine portion. Ciliated lining and smooth-muscle activity support transport. The ovarian end opens into the peritoneal cavity near the ovary.
03 / Function
An egg cell can travel through a tube toward the uterus.
04 / Mechanism
Fingerlike ends help guide a released egg toward a tube. Tiny cilia and muscular movement move it along. If fertilization occurs, it usually begins in a tube before the developing cells travel to the uterus.
Working together: reproductive system
Bodies develop in different ways. During puberty, hormones help reproductive organs mature. A pregnancy can begin when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell, and development continues in the uterus.
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Connect structure with function
The tube is not directly sealed to the ovary. Fertilization most often occurs in the ampullary region, followed by transport toward the uterus.
Check your understanding
Locate the fallopian tubes in relation to its neighbors. Explain how the structural features described above support its function, then distinguish it from a nearby structure with a different role.
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Continue with OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology for system-level study. This atlas is educational and has not undergone independent medical peer review.