title: Progesterone treatment and the progress of early pregnancy reduce desmoglein 1&2 staining along the lateral plasma membrane in rat uterine epithelial cells.
abstract: Uterine epithelium undergoes dramatic changes during early pregnancy in preparation for implantation. We have studied distribution patterns of the desmosomal marker, desmoglein 1&2, in rat uterine epithelial cells during early pregnancy as well as in hormonally stimulated ovariectomised animals. On day 1 of pregnancy as well as in oestradiol treated rats, desmoglein 1&2 staining was localized along the entire length of the lateral plasma membrane. By day 3 and on subsequent days of pregnancy as well as in ovariectomised animals treated with progesterone alone or in combination with oestradiol, desmoglein 1&2 staining was concentrated at the apical portion of the lateral plasma membrane. We suggest that the reorganisation of these desmosomal cadherins is an important component of uterine epithelial receptivity and this relocation is under the control of the ovarian hormone progesterone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Histology, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Amanda M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051183:Desmoglein 1; D051182:Desmogleins; D051180:Desmoplakins; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D051183:Desmoglein 1; D051182:Desmogleins; D051180:Desmoplakins; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol