ISSN:
1432-0878
Keywords:
Uterus
;
Endometrium
;
Membrane proteins
;
Nidation
;
Rabbit
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary To investigate changes in surface proteins of uterine cells in relation to the time of implantation, epithelial and stromal cells were isolated from rabbit endometrium and maintained in primary culture for 3 days. Surface-iodination of intact cells was carried out before and after culture, using immobilized Iodogen catalyst. The labeled proteins were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, followed by autoradiography; peak areas were quantitated by scanning densitometry. Different gestational ages showed no marked qualitative differences in the surface-iodination patterns either of epithelial or stromal cells before or after culture. Quantitative differences between the surface-iodination pattern of epithelial cells from days 4 to 6.5 of pregnancy were revealed by canonical variate analysis of labeled peak areas. Values for individual rabbits clustered according to gestational age, with significant (p〈0.05) separation of the clusters, although the discrimination was less pronounced for cultured than for freshly isolated cells. Changes involving increases in labeling of a protein of 38 000 Mr in fresh cells, and decreases in a protein of 42 000 Mr in cultured cells, were evident between day 4 and day 6.5. Thus changes in the surface-labeling pattern of uterine epithelial cells in relation to the time of receptivity for ovoimplantation can be distinguished. The functional significance of these changes remains to be elucidated.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00214246
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