We report a comparative study on protein and enzyme content of human periovulatory cervical mucus and endocervical epithelium. The salient results of our investigation are summarized in the following three points: 1) The method of taking of cervical mucus samples may markedly affect the results of protein and enzyme assays. It is warmly advisable to collect mucus samples from the endocervical canal. 2) Cervical mucus from women diagnosed as having cervical-factor infertility is oligoproteic and lacks some enzyme activities always present in normal cases. 3) Human cervical mucus and endocervical epithelium are very similar as for the enzyme distribution, but show quite different LDH-isoenzyme patterns. In the latter tissue, the H subunits constitute about 77 per cent of the whole LDH, suggesting that this enzyme here is functioning to produce pyruvate rather than lactate.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Changes in enzyme levels in human cervical mucus during the menstrual cycle.

Cervical mucus is a complex secretion produced by the endocervical epithelium. A comparative analysis of 30 enzymes was carried out on 15 women during their periovulatory period (days 10 to 16 of the menstrual cycle). Nine different enzymes were always found to be present in the cervical mucus. Changes in enzymatic activity were further studied in two of the women, one with a normal (27-day) and the other with a short (20-day) menstrual cycle. The data were compared with those for the same enzymes in the saliva of these two women. Each woman's ovulation time was determined through hormone measurements in urine and blood, as well as by recording basal body temperature and by Billing's method. Our results indicate that a maximum peak occurs for several enzymes during the periovulatory period.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Some molecular features of human cervical mucus.

1) The time preservation effect of the enzymatic activities present in human cervical mucus has been studied. 2) In order to protect the enzymatic activities of the mucus from bacterial impurities, the enzymes studied were assayed in presence of NaN3. 3) The effect of an acid pH likes present in the vagina was also studied: a low pH exerts a marked inhibition on mucus enzymes. 4) the use of nonionic detergents for mucus solubilization does not produce a marked increase of the enzymatic activities studied. 5) A NADP-dependent malate dehydrogenase in peri- and post-ovulatory period has been identified. 6) The presence in mucus of at least four lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes has been demonstrated and their absolute values determined.

Cervix Mucus↗