Intrauterine oxytocin system. Compartmental distribution of oxytocin and oxytocin receptors in rat endometrial epithelium

At term, uterine epithelial cells express oxytocin (OT) as well as the OT receptor (OTR). Like other epithelial cells, uterine epithelial cells are polarized and sort secretory and membrane components to the apical or the basolateral cell surface. We have studied the subcellular localization of OT-l...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cell and tissue research 2001-06, Vol.304 (3), p.377-382
Main Authors: Morel, G, Pechoux, C, Raccurt, M, Zingg, H H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Cell Compartmentation
Cell Polarity
Endometrium - chemistry
Endometrium - cytology
Epithelium - chemistry
Epithelium - ultrastructure
Female
Immunohistochemistry
Microscopy, Immunoelectron
Microvilli - chemistry
Microvilli - ultrastructure
Oxytocin - analysis
Oxytocin - immunology
Pregnancy
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Receptors, Oxytocin - analysis
Receptors, Oxytocin - immunology
Secretory Vesicles - chemistry
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Summary:At term, uterine epithelial cells express oxytocin (OT) as well as the OT receptor (OTR). Like other epithelial cells, uterine epithelial cells are polarized and sort secretory and membrane components to the apical or the basolateral cell surface. We have studied the subcellular localization of OT-like immunoreactivity (OT-IR) and OTR-IR in rat uterine epithelium by immuno-gold labelling of ultrathin frozen sections. Our observations indicate that OT and OTR are both distributed preferentially to the apical surface of rat uterine epithelial cells. OT-IR showed a 6-fold apical versus basolateral preference and was localized in apical secretory vesicles, suggesting that uterine OT is released by apical exocytosis. OTR-IR was localized to the apical surface with a 9-fold apical versus basolateral preference and was found specifically in association with apical microvilli. The present findings represent the first example of a G protein-coupled receptor that is preferentially localized on the microvillar compartment and support the concept of an autocrine uterine OT system at the apical side of the uterine epithelium.
ISSN:0302-766X
DOI:10.1007/s004410100382