Adult virgin female Syrian hamsters were killed at known stages of the estrous cycle, and mast cells were counted in the myometrium, endometrium, and mesometrial-triangle region of the uterus and in the pinna. Tissues were fixed in Helly's solution, and mast cells were stained using 0.06% toluidine blue in 0.12 M Michaelis' veronal acetate-hydrochloric acid buffer, pH 4.5. The number of mast cells in the myometrium and endometrium was found to vary with the estrous cycle, whereas the number in the mesometrial-triangle region and the pinna showed no such variation. The number of mast cells in the myometrium and endometrium was lowest on day 4 of the cycle (the day before the night during which ovulation would occur) and increased approximately twofold to maximal levels found on days 1 and 2. Intermediate levels were seen on day 3. The origin of the increase in mast cell numbers from day 4 to day 1 was investigated using a combined alcian blue--safranin stain to differentiate between immature and mature mast-cell granules. The results obtained did not support the hypothesis that the increase was due to de novo differentiation of mast cells from precursors, but, equally, no evidence was obtained to refute this hypothesis.

The vole, Microtus agrestis, was chosen for this study of mast cells during early pregnancy because this species does not show spontaneous estrous cycles. Mast cell numbers in the uterus are known to vary during the estrous cycle in some species (rat, cow, Syrian hamster). Mast cell changes during early pregnancy in the vole could not reflect hormonal changes which had occurred during a preceding estrous cycle. Mast cells in the uterus (myometrium, endometrium, and mesometrial triangle) and ear skin were examined at 0 hours (virgin, estrus) and at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours postcoitum (p.c.). The stain used was 0.06% toluidine blue in 0.12 M Michaelis's veronal acetate-hydrochloric acid buffer at pH 4.5. The number of mast cells observed in the uterus was not significantly affected when the nondehydrating fixative used routinely ( Helly 's solution) was substituted by a dehydrating fixative (Carnoy's solution without chloroform). The number of mast cells in the myometrium decreased from 0 to 72 hours p.c. and increased from 72 to 96 hours p.c. There was no significant variation in mast cell numbers in the endometrium. The number of mast cells in ear skin and in the mesometrial triangle decreased from 0 to 48 hours p.c. An increase occurred from 48 to 96 hours p.c. in ear skin and from 72 to 96 hours p.c. in the mesometrium.