The Decidual Cell Reaction in the Mouse Uterus: DNA Synthesis and Autoradiographic Analysis of Responsive Cells

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Abstract
The artificially stimulated decidual cell reaction (DCR) is widely used as a model for the study of changes occurring in the uterus during implantation. Previous work from this laboratory demonstrated that rapid cell proliferation begins approximately 30 h after sesame oil stimulation and by 144 h is localized in discrete masses (deciduomata). The population of cells initially affected by the stimulus was identified. Incorporation of 3H-thymidine into uterine DNA increases sharply 13 h after stimulation. Autoradiographic analysis of uteri was used to identify responsive cells. Virtually all the uterine stromal cells had labeled nuclei. The development of deciduomata in the uterus apparently begins as a generalized stimulation of stromal cells followed by localized proliferation of decidual cells.