title: Purinergic receptor expression in the apical plasma membrane of rat uterine epithelial cells during implantation.
abstract: We examined the expression of the metabotropic P2Y(1), P2Y(2), P2Y(4), and ionotropic P2X(7) purinergic receptor subtypes in the uterine epithelium during early pregnancy in the rat. On Day 1 of pregnancy, there was no expression of P2X(7), P2Y(2), or P2Y(4) in the uterine epithelium. P2Y(1) was detected only as a diffuse label. On Day 3, P2X(7) and P2Y(2) receptor distribution was confined to the lateral plasma membranes in the epithelium. There was no expression of P2Y(4) while P2Y(1) was again detected only as a diffuse label throughout the epithelium. At the time of implantation on Day 6, a strong, continuous and area-specific P2X(7) and P2Y(2) label was noted along the entire surface of the apical epithelium suggesting a major role in calcium-modified events preceding and facilitating attachment and implantation of the blastocyst. P2Y(1) and P2Y(4) were present as a ubiquitous and nonspecific label, although the latter exhibited a minor apical deposition. These and earlier experiments with P2X subtype-specific antibodies indicate that both P2X and P2Y purinergic receptors play a role in conditioning the entire uterine epithelium for blastocyst implantation regardless of the site of attachment.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Anatomy and Histology, F13, The University of Sydney, Sydney NSW 2006, Australia. michaels@anatomy.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Barden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000502:physiology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004971:Estrus / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic / Q000378:metabolism; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000378:metabolism; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7; D058472:Receptors, Purinergic P2Y1; D058473:Receptors, Purinergic P2Y2; D017779:Sympathetic Fibers, Postganglionic / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C546470:P2rx7 protein, rat; C546384:P2ry1 protein, rat; C546387:P2ry2 protein, rat; D011983:Receptors, Purinergic; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058486:Receptors, Purinergic P2X7; D058472:Receptors, Purinergic P2Y1; D058473:Receptors, Purinergic P2Y2; C104749:purinoceptor P2Y4