Summary
The early uterine response to transplanted, delayed and estrogenactivated blastocysts was studied ultrastructurally and compared with that induced by intrauterine instillations of deciduogenic agents (arachis oil, air). The uterine responses to delayed and activated blastocysts showed no ultrastructural or temporal differences. Already within 4 h after transfer to a sensitized uterus, the delayed blastocysts exhibited signs of activation, and both types of blastocysts had started to attach onto an undamaged epithelial lining. Signs of stromal cell differentiation into decidual cells were also seen as early as 4 h after transfer, while the Pontamine-blue reaction did not appear until after 8 h. The results therefore indicate that the transplanted blastocysts induced decidualization atraumatically and that the delayed blastocysts were either deciduogenic already before transfer or rapidly acquired deciduogenic properties after transfer.
Artificial decidual induction with oil and air led to damage or death of a large number of cells in the uterine luminal epithelium. Within only 15 min after instillation pronounced signs of cell damage were seen, and later numerous cells were extruded from the epithelial lining. In the stroma ultrastructural signs of decidual cell differentiation and a Pontamine-blue reaction were observed as early as 4 h after induction. It is therefore suggested that oil and air induce decidualization via the epithelium by means of trauma.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alden RH, Smith MJ (1959) Implantation of the rat egg; 4. Some effects of artificial ova on the rat uterus. J Exp Zool 142:215–222
Cochrane RL, Meyer RK (1957) Delayed nidation in the rat induced by progesterone. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 96:155–159
DeFeo VJ (1967) Decidualization. In: Wynn RM (ed) Cellular biology of the uterus. North Holland, Amsterdam
Finn CA, Keen PM (1963) The induction of deciduomata in the rat. J Embryol Exp Morph 11:673–682
Finn CA, Porter DG (1975) The decidual cell reaction. In: Finn CA (ed) The uterus. Elek Science, London
Krehbiel RH (1937) Cytological studies of the decidual reaction in the rat during early pregnancy and in the production of deciduomata. Physiol Zool 10:212–234
Lundkvist Ö (1978a) Ultrastructural studies of the endometrial stromal cells in rats during estradiol-induced implantation after an experimental delay. Biol Reprod 18:306–316
Lundkvist Ö (1978b) Morphological studies of the stromal changes after artificial induction of the decidual reaction in rats. Cell Tissue Res 194:287–296
Lundkvist Ö, Ljungkvist I (1977) Morphology of the rat endometrial stroma at the appearance of the Pontamine Blue Reaction during implantation after an experimental delay. Cell Tissue Res 184:453–466
Lundkvist Ö, Ljungkvist I, Nilsson O (1977) Early effects of oil on rat uterine epithelium sensitized for decidual induction. J Reprod Fert 52:507–509
Lundkvist Ö, Nilsson O, Bergström S (1979) Studies on the trophoblast-epithelial complex during decidual induction in rats. Am J Anat 154:211–229
McLaren A (1973) Blastocyst activation. In: Segal SJ, Crozier R, Corfman PA, Condliffe PG (eds) The regulation of mammalian reproduction. Charles C. Thomes, Springfield, Ill.
McLaren A, Nilsson O (1971) Electron microscopy of luminal epithelium separated by beads in the pseudopregnant mouse uterus. J Reprod Fert 26:379–381
Orsini MW (1963) Induction of deciduomata in hamsters and rats by injection of air. J Endocrinol 28:119–121
Psychoyos A (1963) Précisions sur l'état de “non-réceptivité” de l'utérus. C r hebd SéancAcad Sci Paris 257:1153–1156
Psychoyos A (1971) Methods for studying changes in capillary permeability of the rat endometrium. In: Daniel JC (ed) Methods in mammalian embryology. WH Freeman and Co, San Francisco
Weitlauf HW (1974) Metabolic changes in the blastocysts of mice and rats during delayed implantation. J Reprod Fert 39:213–224
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (Project 12X-70)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lundkvist, Ö., Nilsson, B.O. Endometrial ultrastructure in the early uterine response to blastocysts and artificial deciduogenic stimuli in rats. Cell Tissue Res. 225, 355–364 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00214688
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00214688