title: Differentiation of smooth muscle in the genital tract of the female mouse and its temporal relation with the development of the Wolffian nerve.
abstract: The development of the smooth muscle in the genital tract of the female mouse was studied by light and electron microscopy before and after birth. These studies showed that: a) between 13 days of fetal development and 2 days after birth the cells surrounding the Mullerian duct were undifferentiated and showed a fibroblast-like appearance; b) between 3 and 10 days after birth the cells acquired several characteristics of smooth muscle but they did not seem fully mature; c) between 30 and 180 days after birth the cells acquired a mature appearance; and d) the Wolffian nerve reached the Mullerian duct surrounding tissue before the start of smooth muscle differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology Division, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Brauer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pássaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abeledo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barreiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000196:embryology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014928:Wolffian Ducts / Q000294:innervation*