Extracellular Matrix Proteins In Rhesus Monkey Uterus During The Menstrual Cycle And Early Pregnancy

Extracellular matrix(ECM) proteins exert various biological functions, includingcellular proliferation, migration, recognition and remodeling. it is of importance tostudy the functions of ECM durin bolMon. In this study, rhesus monkey wasselected as the experimental animal since it was hard to study the changes of ECMduring human implantation. The distribution of laminin, fibronectin and collagenIV was examined immunohistochemically during the menstrual cycle and earlypregnancy. The main results were as follows.1. Fibronectin was mainly localized in the stroma next to luminal epithelium andblood vessels. The staining was similar in the blood vessels between differenttimes. Fibronectin staining in stroma gradually inereased during proliferaivephase, reached the highest level on days 12-16 and decreased after day l6.The staining was:similar in the stroma between different days during earlypregnancy, increased on days 1-7 during simulated early pregnancy,and wasundetectable on days 9 and 11.2. Laminin was mainly localized in luminal epithelium, glandular epithelium,and the basement membrane of the vascular endothelium and epithelium.Laminin staining was observed in basement membrane at all times. A highlevel of Laminin staining was found in the glandular epithelium from days 6 to16 during the menstrual cycle. In early pregnancy, a comparatively highstaining was found from days 1 to 7, and the highest level was on day 1. Thestaining was not observed from days 9 to 11. During the simulated earlypregnancy, the strongest staining was found on days 1 and 9. A similar patternwas seen in luminal epithelium.3. Collagen IV was mtaly localized in basbo IneInbran, stroma andmyometrium. The stainin in vascular endothldri endothlial decreased tothe lowest level durin the late luteal phase. The staining in vascularendothelium was gradually increased during edy Pregnancy and decreasedW sedated eary Prepey In the stroma, the stainin was Inainly1ocalized in the region nex to InyOrnetrium and a comParateVly high levelwas foUnd during luteal phase. The expression ofcollegen IV was graduallyincreased durin early Pregnany and sedated eary PregnancyThe expression of fibronectin and ledn was constherably higher durin lateProliferative and eary secretory phase than durin other PhaSes, and highe duringthe preimPlantation period than POstiInlantation Period. These resultS maysuggest tha fibronectin and lde play an importan role during the embryo-uterus recognihon and imPlantaion. The exPression pattem of collagen IV invascular endothelium may involve related with the brinieness of vascularendothelium and menStrUal bleeding pattem. Addinonally, the expression ofcollagen IV in stroma dchng the menstrual cycle and early pregnany may beimPortan for the uterine recePtvitPOstWe: wnI PpeResearch fie1d:Anima1 Histo1ogy and boo1ogySuPervisor: ffeOfessor YWe arena...