title: Ultrastructural localisation of Muc-1 on the plasma membrane of uterine epithelial cells.
abstract: The presence and distribution pattern of Muc-1 was determined immunohistochemically in rat uterine epithelial cells and localised ultrastructurally on the plasma membrane of uterine epithelial cells. Rat uterine tissue was examined on days 1, 3 and 6 of pregnancy and it is shown to be expressed in uterine luminal epithelial cells on day 1 of pregnancy with decreasing expression towards the time of implantation on day 6. It was demonstrated ultrastructurally that Muc-1 is expressed at the external surface of the plasma membrane of uterine epithelial cells thus confirming that it is well positioned to act as an anti-adhesive molecule during the nonreceptive stage of pregnancy. Ultrastructural localisation also revealed that Muc-1 was not present on the outer surface of the plasma membrane during the receptive phase.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D018396:Mucin-1