Macromolecular components of genital tract fluids from the sheep

Abstract

The proteins and glycosidases in the luminal fluid from the genital tract of ewes at different stages of the oestrous cycle and early pregnancy were studied. Most of the proteins in oviducal fluid and uterine fluid were serum proteins, but an increased amount of a glycoprotein excluded from Sephadex G-200 was detected in oviducal fluid at oestrus. Small amounts of uterine-specific proteins were detected in uterine fluid by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. The number of these varied according to the stage of pregnancy. The activities of several glycosidases were elevated in uterine fluid when compared with serum; beta-N-acetylgalactosaminidase and beta-N-acetylglucosamindase were particularly active. Ovine cervical mucus was shown to contain an epithelial glycoprotein which had a composition similar to that of the glycoproteins isolated from human and bovine cervical mucus.