Estrogen-Induced Differentiation of the Oviductal Epithelium in Prepubertal Dogs

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Abstract
Light and electron micrographs of the oviductal epithelium of the ampullae of normal and hormone treated 2-mo-old prepubertal female dogs were studied. Two treatment groups were used: estradiol treatment alone and progesterone treatment alone. 150 µg/kg estradiol and 1 mg/kg progesterone were injected intramuscularly every second day depending on the treatment group. The epithelial cells in the control animals were uniformly low cuboidal with a high nucleocytoplasmic ratio. After 36 hr of estradiol treatment there was nuclear and nucleolar hypertrophy; an increase in the numbers of cytoplasmic polyribosomes and numerous mitotic figures were apparent. Ciliogenesis began and two cell types were distinguishable after 3 days of estradiol treatment. Basal bodies in various stages of formation were randomly distributed throughout the apex of many cells. In others, more mature basal bodies were lined up at the apical border, while in other cells cilia were evident. Six days of estradiol treatment resulted in the complete ciliation of approximately 60% of all the epithelial cells. The remaining cells possessed abundant cisternae of RER and appeared to be differentiating into mucus secreting cells. After 10 days, these cells possessed a large Golgi apparatus, large dilated cisternae of RER as well as abundant PAS-positive granules at their apex. Progesterone treatment alone significantly reduced the cell and nuclear volume and increased the nucleocytoplasmic ratio. The primary conclusion of this study is that estrogen alone is capable of producing complete cytodifferentiation in the oviduct of both the prepubertal dog and mature bitch.

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