Cyclical changes in the vaginal epithelium of the rat seen by scanning electron microscopy

✍ Scribed by Parakkal, Paul F.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1974
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 672 KB
• Volume: 178
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0003-276X
• DOI: 10.1002/ar.1091780302

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Keratinization or mucification of the epithelium of the rat vagina is related to the hormonal state of the animal. During the normal cycle and after the administration of exogenous hormones (estrogen and progestin) to spayed animals, the surface characteristics and topography of the vaginal epithelium were studied with the scanning electron microscope. During estrus and under the influence of estrogen, the superficial cells were keratinized, overlap each other like shingles, and are continuously sloughed off. Like the surface of other keratinizing epithelia, theirs has a characteristic microridge pattern. In ovariectomized animals, the apical surface is covered with microvilli instead of microridges, and the cells resemble hexagonally shaped units, tightly bound instead of overlapping each other. At the boundary between the cells, a ridge demarcates the cells. The surface configurations of progestin‐treated, progestin plus estrogen‐treated, and diestrous animals are the same as in spayed animals.