ENZYMES IN THE UTERINE AND CERVICAL FLUID AND IN CERTAIN RELATED TISSUES AND BODY FLUIDS OF THE RABBIT

The occurrence and some properties of the relatively copious uterine and cervical fluid which is formed following mating or an ovulating dose of gonadotrophin, and the scanty and viscous endometrial secretion produced in the progestational phase of pregnancy in the rabbit, have been reported earlier (Lutwak-Mann, 1962).In the present study the activity was examined of 5-nucleotidase (Heppel & Hilmoe, 1951), adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) (Heppel & Hilmoe, 1953), and purine nucleosidase (Price, Otley & Plesner, 1955). The experimental materials were obtained from the animals at autopsy. In each case the hormonal treatment listed below is expressed as dose per animal.Materials referred to as uterine and cervical fluid were obtained from rabbits at: (i) 8–12 hr. after either copulation or i.v. injection of 25 i.u. gonadotrophin (Pregnyl, Organon); (ii) the same stage and from identically treated animals which, however, had been pre-treated 30 hr. earlier with 2–4 mg. of either norethynodrel