Vaginal Cornification in Persistent-Estrous Mice

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Abstract
Persistent estrus was induced in A/Crgl mice by injections of estrogen daily for 5 days, starting on the 1st postnatal day. Ovariectomy, ovariectomy plus adrenalectomy, and ovariectomy plus hypophysectomy did not prevent the continuous cornification of vaginae in these persistent-estrous mice. Intraperitoneal or intravaginal administration of histamine and/or serotonin did not induce vaginal cornification in ovariectomized normal mice, and antihistamine had no influence on the vaginal cornification in ovariectomized persistent-estrous mice. Transplantation of the persistent-estrous vagina into ovariectomized persistent-estrous and into ovariectomized normal mice did not suppress cornification in 50–60 % of the vaginal transplants. Injection of large amounts of steroid hormones (progesterone, cortisol, deoxycorticosterone, testosterone) prevented vaginal cornification in 20–40 % of the ovariectomized persistent-estrous mice. On the other hand, 20–40% of the ovariectomized persistentestrous mice treated with steroid hormones showed no influence on continuous cornification. The vaginal cornification in persistentestrous mice appears to be independent of estrogen stimulation and in some cases irreversible.