Temporal changes in the expression of platelet-derived growth factor and fibronectin in the uterine epithelium during early pregnancy.
In rat uterine epithelium, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and fibronectin (FN) display changes in temporal expression during implantation. PDGF was expressed in the apical epithelium on Day 3, apically, laterally and basally at the time of implantation on Day 6 but was not expressed on Day 7. FN expression was not seen until Day 6, when it was expressed only in the basement membrane. However, this label was markedly increased in the basement membrane on Day 7. We suggest that fibronectin may be upregulated by PDGF in preparation for invasion of the basement membrane by stromal decidual cells and the subsequent attachment of the trophoblast to the maternal extracellular matrix.
D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure