Migration of Nuclei in Uterine Epithelium of Monkey Following Prolonged Estrin Injections. ∗

Abstract

Eight Macacus rhesus monkeys received subcutaneous injections of estrin in oil solution (Amniotin† or Theelin‡) over time periods ranging from 6 to 24 1/2 months. The total estrin dosage ranged from 36,400 to 73,400 rat units. Two of the animals were ovariectomized, 5 were normal, and 1 was depancreatized. Two ovariectomized animals were used as uninjected controls.

The migration of nuclei in the cells of the uterine epithelium (Fig. 1) occurred in 6 of the 8 injected animals. Of these, 3 were normal, 2 were ovariectomized, and 1 was depancreatized. The 2 negative cases (animals 14 and 59) were animals receiving the lowest dosages (36,400 and 44,150 r.u.). The ovariectomized controls were also negative. The nuclear migration is brought about by the appearance of secretion at the bases of the epithelial cells. This causes the nuclei of the cells lining the lumina of the uterine cavity and glands alike, to be pressed toward the apices of the cells. Hisaw‡ (1935) and Lendrum and Hisaw 2 (1936) have noted this phenomenon as occurring regularly in the cells of the uterine epithelium of the monkey following injections of corporin, and have shown that it is due to an accumulation of glycogen beneath the nuclei. They state that the presence of glycogen is a characteristic feature of the endometrial response to the administration of corporin, but that minute traces of glycogen may be found occasionally in the basal ends of some cells following prolonged treatment with large doses of estrin. In our material the phenomenon occurred in ovariectomized and normal animals alike following the administration of estrin only. Our total estrin dosages were much greater than those of Lendrum and Hisaw. In other respects the endometrium showed a simple estrin response, the glands being straight with no cystic or “swiss cheese” effects. No stratified squamous cells were associated with the columnar uterine cells, although, with the exception of animals 14, 59 and 5 marked epidermization occurred in the cervix of the injected animals.