Histological differences between gravid and non-gravid uteri in the dasyurid marsupial, Sminthopsis macroura (Spencer)

Cruz, Y. P.; Selwood, Lynne

doi:10.1530/jrf.0.1110319

Cited by 24 publications

(23 citation statements)

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“…The significant increase in uterine weight observed in pregnant S. macroura, which was correlated with a period of increased uterine mitotic activity, supports previous suggestions that uterine weight changes are due to mitotic activity (Tyndale-Biscoe 2005) during early gestation, but later in gestation, they are more likely to be due to stromal oedema as shown by Cruz & Selwood (1997).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…The basal initiation of mitosis, followed by apical and then luminal mitosis during the follicular phase, suggests that this may also occur in S. macroura. Increased mitotic activity in the glandular epithelium of pregnant S. macroura on day 3 (unilaminar blastocyst formation) corresponds with increased glandular density in pregnant A. agilis (Cruz & Selwood 1993) and possibly S. macroura (Cruz & Selwood 1997), suggesting that increased cell numbers in the glandular epithelium are required to maintain pregnancy, as glandular secretions are holocrine (Shorey & Hughes 1973a) resulting in cell loss.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The composition of secreted proteins differs between the two uteri in M. eugenii (Renfree 1973), and in T. vulpecula the mitotic rate of the ipsilateral glandular epithelium is significantly higher on day 2 post-oestrus (Von der Borch 1963), equivalent to day 1 post-ovulation (Shorey & Hughes 1973b). In the polyovular dasyurids A. agilis (Cruz & Selwood 1993) and Sminthopsis macroura (Cruz & Selwood 1997), the endometrial stroma, luminal and glandular epithelium are significantly thicker in pregnant cycles compared with non-pregnant cycles at specific stages of the luteal phase, but in the polyovular didelphid Didelphis virginiana, the non-pregnant uterine endometrium is significantly thicker on day 11 (Fleming & Harder 1981), the day of implantation (Hartman 1928).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…However, pregnancy-specific hormonal and morphological changes are found during gestation in both monovular (Von der Borch 1963, Renfree 1972, 1973, Renfree & Tyndale-Biscoe 1973, Cake et al 1980, Hinds & Tyndale-Biscoe 1982, Curlewis & Stone 1986) and polyovular (Fleming & Harder 1981, Fletcher 1989, Hinds 1989, Cruz & Selwood 1993, 1997 marsupial species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Progesterone concentration in the marsupial Sminthopsis macroura: relationship with the conceptus, uterine glandular regeneration and body weight

2009

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Close examination of hormonal profiles and uterine morphology in the marsupial reproductive cycle highlights significant differences between pregnant and non-pregnant cycles. In the polyovular dasyurid marsupial Sminthopsis macroura, we identified changes associated with gestation by comparing ovarian and plasma progesterone concentrations, uterine weights, uterine epithelial mitoses, body weights and gestation lengths between pregnant and non-pregnant luteal phases. The plasma progesterone profile of S. macroura was biphasic, peaking during unilaminar blastocyst expansion and on the day of implantation. Periods of rapid embryonic development were associated with increasing plasma progesterone concentrations and animal body weight. For the first time in a polyovular marsupial, we identified 1) a correlation between ovarian progesterone concentration and conceptus number during the luteal phase just prior to implantation (total ovarian progesterone), indicating a conceptus influence on progesterone concentration; 2) a pulse of uterine epithelial mitotic activity at the time of implantation and 3) increased mitotic activity in pregnant animals during unilaminar blastocyst formation compared with non-pregnant animals. Gestation length was reduced by up to 15%, due to the loss of, or reduction in, the fourcell arrest and more rapid definitive blastocyst expansion. This is the first time a conceptus influence on gestation length has been identified in a dasyurid. This study provides further evidence for the modification of the luteal phase by pregnancy in S. macroura.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Progesterone concentration in the marsupial Sminthopsis macroura: relationship with the conceptus, uterine glandular regeneration and body weight

2009

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“…This stage characterized by; mucosal folding, glandular formation (endometrial adenogenesis), epithelial proliferation and thickening of the uterine wall [13]. Similar changes were occurred in pseudopregnant ferrets [15] and pregnant marsupials [16]. These changes were due to increased plasma progesterone level [17].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Morphological, Histological and Immunohistochemical Study of the Rabbit Uterus during Pseudopregnancy

Abd-Elkareem¹

2017

J Cytol Histol

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Ten mature virgin rabbit does (4-5 months old) with mean weight of 2.4 kg were induced to ovulate; by intramuscular injection of HCG (50-70 IU). The day of induction was considered 0 days. Uteri were obtained from 14 h, 3, 7, 18 days post induction. At first stage of pseudopregnancy; the two uteri became hyperemic and slightly swollen. The uterine epithelium and endometrial glands epithelium were of columnar type with oval basal nuclei. The endometrial glands were few in number and small in size. The endometrial glands showed apocrine activity. The uterus had six longitudinal folds and the uterine epithelium form crypts. The endometrium had slight vascularization. At middle stage of pseudopregnancy, the two uteri became hyperemic and more swollen. This stage characterized by; mucosal folding, glandular formation, epithelial proliferation and thickening of the uterine wall. At last stage of pseudopregnancy; the two uteri became flaccid and more swollen. This stage characterized by dramatic changes in the uterine architecture in the form of: increased epithelial proliferation and crypt formation increase the complexity of luminal folding, increase in length, size and abundance of the uterine endometrial glands, increase in the uterine micro vascular development (increased abundance of the large microvessels and development of subepithelial capillary plexuses). Tunica vascularis could be demonstrated between the inner circular and outer longitudinal smooth muscle fibers of the myometrium at the all stages of psedopregnancy. Telocytes with its characteristic morphology could be demonstrated in the myometrium of the rabbit uterus during pseudopregnancy. Cell-specific immuno-localization of progesterone receptors alpha (PRA) in the rabbit uterus during pseudopregnancy revealed that, there were mild, moderate and strong nuclear PRA immunostaining in the endometrial epithelial cells, endometrial glands and in the smooth muscles fibers of the myometrium of the first, middle and last stages of pseudopregnancy respectively.The present study revealed that the morphological, histological and immunohistochemical changes in the rabbit uterus during pseudopregnancy resembled that occurred during early stage of pregnancy. These changes were characterized by dramatic changes in the uterine architecture in the form of: increased epithelial proliferation and crypt formation increase the complexity of luminal folding, increase in length, size and abundance of the uterine endometrial glands, increase in the uterine microvascular development. These uterine changes were accompanied with PRA immunolocalization in the uterine tissues.

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Uterine epithelial cell changes during pregnancy in a marsupial (Sminthopsis crassicaudata; Dasyuridae)

Laird

Thompson

Murphy

et al. 2014

Journal of Morphology

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Formation of a placenta requires intimate contact between the embryonic and maternal uterine epithelia in early pregnancy. Contact is accompanied by a characteristic suite of changes to the plasma membranes of uterine epithelial cells, termed the plasma membrane transformation. The plasma membrane transformation occurs in eutherian mammals and in viviparous (live-bearing) squamate reptiles, and may be fundamental to the evolution of viviparity in amniotes. Marsupials provide an excellent opportunity to test the generality of this phenomenon. Here, we present the first detailed study of the plasma membrane transformation in a marsupial. We combine electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry to describe morphological and molecular features of uterine epithelial cells during pregnancy in the fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata; Dasyuridae). Cell morphology changes dramatically in S. crassicaudata during pregnancy. Apical microvilli are replaced by irregular blunt projections, then by spiky projections postimplantation. Cell surfaces flatten and ciliated cells are lost. Junctional complexes between adjacent cells increase in depth, then decrease just before implantation, which is consistent with junctional protein localization in this region of the cell membrane. The uterine cellular changes in S. crassicaudata are consistent with a plasma membrane transformation, and support the idea that this phenomenon is fundamental to the evolution of viviparity in amniote vertebrates.

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Histological differences between gravid and non-gravid uteri in the dasyurid marsupial, Sminthopsis macroura (Spencer)

Cited by 24 publications

References 6 publications

Progesterone concentration in the marsupial Sminthopsis macroura: relationship with the conceptus, uterine glandular regeneration and body weight

Progesterone concentration in the marsupial Sminthopsis macroura: relationship with the conceptus, uterine glandular regeneration and body weight

Morphological, Histological and Immunohistochemical Study of the Rabbit Uterus during Pseudopregnancy

Uterine epithelial cell changes during pregnancy in a marsupial (Sminthopsis crassicaudata; Dasyuridae)

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