title: Distribution patterns of mast cells in the uterus of pregnant Meishan pigs.
abstract: The present study was performed to investigate the numerical distribution of mast cells (MCs) in the uteri of pregnant Meishan pigs to explore the functions of MCs in pig pregnancy. The uterine samples from pregnant (on days 15, 26 and 50 of gestation) pigs were obtained respectively and stained with toluidine blue. The results were as follows: MCs were constitutively located in the uterus of the Meishan pig, with the distribution varying with gestational stages. On days 15 and 26 of gestation, MCs were mainly distributed around the blood vessels and uterine glands within the endometrium. On day 50 of gestation, MCs were mostly distributed in the myometrium. These results indicated that uterine MCs possibly have versatile functions in pig pregnancy.
authors: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong (Central China) Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors: Y X
authors: YX
authors: Liu
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Yu
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Wang
authors: K M
authors: KM
authors: Peng
authors: H Z
authors: HZ
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000166:cytology; D002452:Cell Count; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D009215:Myometrium / Q000166:cytology; D011247:Pregnancy; D034421:Sus scrofa; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000166:cytology*