Effects of Copper and Zinc on Rat Uterine Muscle Contraction and Rabbit Blastocyst Fluid Accumulation

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Abstract
The effect of Cu and Zn on the isometric contractility of isolated rat uterine muscle was studied. Concentrations of 2 .times. 10-5 M Cu2+ produce a drastic potentiating effect on the contraction, elicit spontaneous contractile activity and at concentrations > 8 .times. 10-5 M, produce spasmodic contracture of the muscle. Effects of Cu2+ are reversible. Zn, at concentrations of 2-4 .times. 10-5 M, has a marked depressant effect on rat uterine contractility. Although the effect of Zn2+ is not reversed by washing under the experimental conditions, Cu2+ in equivalent concentrations can reverse the depressant effect of Zn2+. The potentiating effect of Cu2+ is not modified by Zn2+ at equimolar concentrations. Rabbit blastocyst fluid accumulation is unaltered by 2-5 .times. 10-5 M Cu2+ or Zn2+ concentrations. Long-term incubation (> 1 h) in solutions containing 5 .times. 10-5 M Cu2+ results in complete degeneration of the embryo. The relevance of these results in relation to decreased expulsion rate and increased contraceptive effect of Cu-T intrauterine device is discussed.