Figure 1. Immunoperoxidase localisation of MUC1 core protein (antibody BC2; a,b,e,f) and keratan sulphate (antibody 5D4; c,d,g,h) in endometrium from post-ovulatory day 6-7 (a-d) or postovulatory day 10-11 (e-h).
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Figure 1. The timings represent approximately the beginning and end of the predicted receptive phase for implantation. Each field contains luminal epithelium and superficial glands. Bright field micrographs (left) are electronically segmented (right) to show the immunostaining more clearly. MUC1 core protein is continuous throughout the luminal epithelium at both times (b,f) though more heterogeneity is evident in the glands at the later time (h). Keratan sulphate is continuous at the apical luminal epithelial surface in proliferative and early secretory phase (not shown). At postovulatory day 6-7 it is still mostly continuous although some thinning is evident (d). By day 10-11 staining is significantly reduced with patches of unstained cells evident in the luminal epithelium. As with MUC1 core protein, the glandular epithelium shows more heterogeneity. Keratan sulphate is associated with MUC1, and so these observations show there is a diversity of glycoforms in the tissue, with specific pattterns of glycosylation in the luminal epithelium. Abundant keratan sulphate is likely to confer high electronegativity on the surface; reduction in its abundance may facilitate apposition of the embryo. Reprinted with permission from Aplin et al. (1998). Scale bar 75mm
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