Changing patterns of fibronectin, laminin, type IV collagen, and a basement membrane proteoglycan during rat Mullerian duct regression☆

摘要

AntibodiestotypeIVcollagen,laminin,heparansulfateproteoglycan,andfibronectinwereusedtostudytheregressionoftheratMullerianduct.AllfourofthesematrixconstituentsarelocatedattheperimeteroftheMullerianductwithintheductalbasementmembrane.AstheMullerianductregresses,thestainingofallofthesebasementmembraneconstituentsbecomesirregularanddiscontinuous.Fibronectin,whichisalsopresentintheinterstitium,becomesundetectableinthemesenchymewhichcondensesaroundtheregressingMullerianduct.ThesedataindicatethatdegradationoftheextracellularmatrixaroundthemaleMullerianductisacentraleventintheregressionofthisstructure.