Ultrastructural Characteristics of Vaginal Epithelium of Persistent Estrous Rats
Adult female rats exposed to constant light will develop anovulatory acyclicity characterized by persistent vaginal cornification (PE) and formation of multiple large cystic follicles on the ovaries. The purpose of the present communication is to describe the ultrastructural changes in vaginal epithelia in PE rats as compared to that in normal estrous rats.Persistent vaginal estrous with PCO was induced in a group of Sprague-Dawely rats by exposure to constant light for 50-150 days. Rats in normal estrous, as determined by vaginal smears, were used as controls. Nembutal- anethesized rats were perfused through the aorta with 2.5% gluteraldehyde in 1M sodium cacodylate buffer (pH 7.3). The mucosa of the vaginal folds just inferior to the cervix were dissected by microsurgery, postfixed, stained with 0.5% ruthenium red in 1% osmium tetroxide, dehydrated, and embedded in polybed. Thick sections (1μ) were stained with toludine blue for light microscopy studies. Thin sections were stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate.