title: The structure of tight junctions between uterine luminal epithelial cells at different stages of pregnancy in the rat.
abstract: The ultrastructure of tight junctions between uterine luminal epithelial cells of the pregnant rat was studied by the freeze-fracture technique. On day 5 of pregnancy, the day of implantation, the region of tight junctions extended three times as far down the lateral cell membrane as on day 1 of pregnancy, and the strands of the complex interlinked more frequently. These observations suggest that tight junctions on day 5 may be more efficient in preserving the contents of the uterine lumen from dilution or escape than at earlier times of pregnancy.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D005260:Female; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014599:Uterus / Q000648:ultrastructure*