title: A scanning electron microscope study of the structural component of the bovine vaginal fluid at oestrus.
abstract: The ultrastructure of the vaginal fluid of cows at oestrus was analysed by scanning electron microscopy. Samples of vaginal fluid were collected from 7 normally cycling and healthy cows, 3 to 4 years of age, in oestrus. Evaluation of the patterns of crystallization was used as a previous assessment of the quality of the samples. SEM images revealed a structure made up of non-oriented filaments constituting a network with a three-dimensional arrangement. These filaments were of different diameters and ranged between 50 and 400 nm. Mesh size, defined as the minimum distance measurement between strands, ranged between 2 to 8 microns.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Anatomy and Embryology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rutllant
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López-Gatius
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camón
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: López-Plana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Béjar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004971:Estrus / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary