Distributions of PCNA and Cas-3 in rat uterus during early pregnancy.
The aim of present study was to determine the distributions of proliferating cell nuclear agent (PCNA) and Cas-pase-3 (Cas-3) and their possible roles in implantation and decidualization during early pregnancy at immunohistochemical level. The tissue samples from pregnant animals between gestational days 1-5 were incubated by PCNA and Cas-3 antibodies and the obtained results were evaluated quantitatively. It was observed that PCNA immunoreactivity in uterine luminal epithelium and glandular epithelium reduced as from day 2 of gestation and disappeared as from day 4 of gestation. PCNA staining intensity in stromal cells and myometrium increased gradually with progressing gestation. While Cas-3 immunoreactivity was strongly detected in luminal and glandular epithelium throughout the whole gestational period, its reactivity markedly increased as from day 3 of gestation. In conclusion, it may suggest that the blastocyst implantation induces the uterine luminal epithelial cell death and stromal cell proliferation around the embryo in the uterus.
Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey. hakanoner@mehmetakif.edu.tr
Hakan
H
Oner
Jale
J
Oner
Ramazan
R
Demir
D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D009215:Myometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*
D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D053148:Caspase 3