Ultrastructure of the human periovulatory cervical mucus

• Published in: Journal of electron microscopy 2005-10, Vol.54 (5), p.479-484
• Main Authors: Ceric, Francisco, Silva, Doris, Vigil, Pilar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: cervical mucus; Cervix Mucus - cytology; Cervix Mucus - metabolism; Estradiol - metabolism; Female; Humans; Male; Menstrual Cycle; mesh; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; network; oestrogenic; Ovulation; progestative; Progesterone - metabolism; Semen - cytology; Semen - physiology; Sperm Motility; ultrastructure
• ISSN: 0022-0744; 1477-9986; 2050-5701
• DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfh106

Two main types of cervical mucus have been described during the menstrual cycle: oestrogenic and progestative. Each category shows diverse morphological and functional features from the reproductive point of view. Traditionally, this change has been approached by analysing morphological patterns. In fact, a mesh model has been described for cervical mucus, structurally composed of fibrillar subunits with a parallel orientation, together with another model in a characteristic network shape with canalicular units, but the real model is not clear. The objective of our work was to study the different morphological structures of the mucus, as related to the day of follicular rupture (considered as day 0) determined by ultrasound. Cervical mucus samples were obtained from the cervical canal with an ASPIRETTE™ from day −4 to day +1 of the menstrual cycle. Samples were fixed and dried by critical point. The ultrastructure was examined with scanning electron microscopy. The presence of three types of oestrogenic and one type of progestative cervical mucus was confirmed in this period. Our paper shows different types of ultrastructure in the oestrogenic mucus in relation to ovulation, which would help to understand the interaction between male gametes and cervical mucus in migration through the female genital tract.