Uptake of immunoglobulins and other proteins from serum into epithelial cells of the mouse uterus and oviduct.
The transport of immunoglobulins into the lumen of the female reproductive tract is not well understood, especially in the case of IgG. In mice, there are conflicting reports concerning the presence of immunoglobulins in uterine luminal and glandular epithelial cells, and immunoglobulins have not been detected in the luminal epithelial cells of the oviduct. In the present study we detected both IgA and IgG in uterine luminal and glandular epithelial cells on day 1 of pregnancy by immunolabeling. Also, we observed that fluorescein-conjugated mouse and bovine IgG and other proteins were taken up into vesicles in uterine luminal and glandular epithelial cells after intravenous administration. These observations indicate that both kinds of epithelial cells take up immunoglobulins from the interstitial fluid on day 1 of pregnancy, and that the cells may therefore be involved in the transport of immunoglobulins and other proteins to the uterine lumen at that time. In the oviduct, we detected IgA and IgG in vesicles in the luminal epithelial cells of the preampulla by immunolabeling, and we observed fluorescein-conjugated IgA and IgG in similar vesicles after intravenous administration. The presence of IgA and IgG in vesicles in the epithelial cells of the preampulla, together with the previous demonstration of plasma cells of both isotypes and large amounts of interstitial immunoglobulins in the lamina propria of this segment, suggests that the preampulla of the oviduct may be an important site for the local immune system in the mouse female genital tract.
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D001798:Blood Proteins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007136:Immunoglobulins