Histochemical study of metrial gland cells through the last week of pregnancy in the albino rat.
The metrial gland cells of the rat were studied from day 16 to 21 of pregnancy through enzyme histochemistry. The following enzyme activities were tested: 2 carboxylic esterases, 4 phosphatases, 1 aminopeptidase and 10 dehydrogenases including 4 which are involved in steroid metabolism. Although acid phosphatase activity was strong in mesenchymal cells, it remained undetected in large, sometimes binucleate cells lining central and subplacental vessels of the mesometrial triangle. 5-Bromo-indoxyl acetate esterase was likewise absent from the parietal vascular cells of the central artery. The study of 6 enzyme activities, i.e., GPDH, 3-OU-BDH, G6PDH, 3-B-HSDH, primary and secondary alcohol dehydrogenases, allowed to conclude that metrial gland cells are actively involved in steroidogenesis and lipid catabolism. Maternal origin of this gland can be sustained with reference to the pattern of acid phosphatase, indoxyl-esterase and some oxidoreductases II activities distribution which appears to be different from what is found in the trophospongium area.
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D004717:Endometrium / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D007521:Isocitrate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D007931:Leucyl Aminopeptidase / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008791:Metrial Gland / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism
D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases; D005993:Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase; D007521:Isocitrate Dehydrogenase; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D007931:Leucyl Aminopeptidase; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases