Biology of Reproduction, Vol 14, 599-604, Copyright © 1976 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

Hormonal Regulation of Incorporation of ^{3 5}S into Macromolecules of Oviduct Fluid

¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903

^{3 5}S injected as carrier free sulfate was found to be readily incorporated into macromolecules of oviduct fluid under estrogen or progesterone. The macromolecular bound ^{3 5}S was 8 to 10 times higher in oviduct fluid than in whole blood. Disc electrophoresis on agarose supporting medium indicated that the ^{3 5}S containing macromolecules present in oviduct fluid during estrogen domination were similar to those observed in serum. During estrogen withdrawal or progesterone treatment a new ^{3 5}S containing component, apparently oviduct fluid specific, is resolved by this technique. Sobubilization of washed mucin deposited around Sephadex beads followed by disc electrophoresis indicates that the two ^{3 5}S containing components having similar serum components; the ^{3 5}S containing oviduct specific component; and apparently undissociated aggregates of these are present in the dissolved mucin. SDS electrophoresis suggests that progesterone dominated oviduct fluid contains two major components similar to serum, of 72,000 and 45,000 daltons, and that other ^{3 5}S containing oviduct material is not readily dissociated and remains near the top of the polyacrylamide gel.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work was supported by the World Health Organization Grant No. H9/181/119, National Institutes of Health Grant No. HD06573, and A. H. Robins Company. DRH was supported in part by a fellowship from the South Atlantic Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.