title: The metrial gland.
abstract: The information available about the metrial gland of the pregnant rodent uterus with its content of granulated metrial gland (GMG) cells is reviewed. Recent research shows that GMG cells differentiate from bone marrow cells and supports the suggestion that GMG cells are involved in the immunological relationship between mother and foetus. There is probably a complex association between GMG cells and stromal cells of the metrial gland, and it is suggested that the association between GMG cells and the placental labyrinthine cells represents a functional interaction.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008791:Metrial Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats