{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,23]],"date-time":"2026-04-23T21:14:34Z","timestamp":1776978874259,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,24]],"date-time":"2025-08-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1755993600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,24]],"date-time":"2025-08-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1755993600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Clinical Anatomy"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Urogenital epithelium replaces the original paramesonephric (M\u00fcllerian) epithelium in the human fetal vagina. We re\u2010investigated this cell replacement histologically and with three\u2010dimensional reconstructions. In the lesser pelvis, both M\u00fcllerian ducts fuse to form the uterovaginal canal. Its large caudal \u201chead\u201d is flanked by the locally widened Wolffian ducts. In the 9th week, the urogenital epithelium that covers the M\u00fcllerian tubercle differentiates into small, dense\u2010staining basal cells and columnar \u201cclear cells\u201d apically. Mesonephric (Wolffian\u2010duct) outlet epithelium in contact with clear cells degenerates and is replaced by clear\u2010cell epithelium. Meanwhile, the small cells of the urogenital\u2010sinus epithelium form a funnel that physically contacts the underlying uterovaginal head, locally breaks down its basement membrane, and establishes a bridgehead. Here, extensive cell mixing of urogenital and M\u00fcllerian cells produces a \u201ctransformational\u201d epithelium with regressing M\u00fcllerian and healthy urogenital cells as components. After spreading throughout the vaginal epithelium, the urogenital cells near their incursion site under the Wolffian\u2010duct outlets begin to produce the bilateral \u201cvaginal plates.\u201d Its cells surround the transformational epithelium as a deflated double\u2010layered cell plate. Where the vaginal plates contact the transformational epithelium, the epithelial cell layer thickens, its surface becomes rugged, and large regressive cells become numerous. The number of regressive cells drops precipitously in the adjacent vaginal plates, implying that this band of cells functions as a \u201cpurging zone.\u201d Once the purging process reaches the midline, the vaginal epithelium consists of urogenital cells only. Their arrangement as a deflated double\u2010layered cell plate temporally occludes the vaginal lumen.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/ca.70015","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,25]],"date-time":"2025-08-25T02:01:06Z","timestamp":1756087266000},"page":"112-131","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["The Development of the Human Female Reproductive Tract: Part 2\u2014Vagina"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"39","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-4536-1717","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cindy J. M.","family":"H\u00fclsman","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy &amp; Embryology Maastricht University  Maastricht the Netherlands"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1977-9977","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"S. Eleonore","family":"K\u00f6hler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy &amp; Embryology Maastricht University  Maastricht the Netherlands"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gabriela","family":"Morosan\u2010Puopolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy &amp; Molecular Embryology Ruhr University Bochum  Bochum Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2940-1812","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jill P. J. M.","family":"Hikspoors","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy &amp; Embryology Maastricht University  Maastricht the Netherlands"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3032-7824","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Wouter H.","family":"Lamers","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy &amp; Embryology Maastricht University  Maastricht the Netherlands"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_12_2_1","first-page":"9","article-title":"The Development of the Lower End of the Vagina","volume":"62","author":"Bloomfield A.","year":"1927","journal-title":"Journal of Anatomy"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_3_1","first-page":"275","article-title":"The Role of the Wolffian Ducts in the Formation of the Sinus Vagina: An Organ Culture Study","volume":"73","author":"Bok G.","year":"1983","journal-title":"Journal of Embryology and Experimental Morphology"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_4_1","first-page":"250","article-title":"Beitr\u00e4ge zur Affenanatomie. 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