The EM studies of the basememt membrane of the uterine cervix was made to determine the variations during the estrous cycle.Material and Methods. Animals were sacrificed under ether anesthesia when the vaginal smears showed different stages of the estrous cycle. The uterine cervix was removed and it was put into cold 3% glutaraldehyde for 6 hours; during the fixation the uterine cervix was divided in half under the dissection microscope. The tissue was embedded in vestopal. Thick sections were stained with toluidine blue to select the horizontal part of the epithelium. Thin sections were stained,by uranyl acetate and lead citrate.Results. Proestrous stage. The cytoplasmic membrane is thick, dark and tortuous. Numerous dense desmosomes having different sizes are seen symmetrically on the cytoplasmic membrane, and also, on the amorphous material. Large and abundant digitations have irregular shapes. Dense and uniform amorphous material about 580 A wide is on the borderline of the connective tissue. Light space about 466 A show light and dilated areas.
Model of Epithelial Cell Changes in PAP-Stained Vaginal Smears throughout the Rat Estrous Cycle: Rat Estrous Model Identification
