Uterine Tubulin Production During Early Pregnancy in the Rabbit

Abstract

Rabbit uterine tubulin levels rise rapidly in the preimplantation period to peak values of about 10-fold in the endometrium and about 4-5 fold in the myometrium on days 3-5 of pregnancy. Endometrial tubulin falls to non-pregnancy levels by mid-pregnancy while myometrial tubulin declines much more slowly. The rise in tubulin exceeds the early rate of increase in total uterine protein and DNA. Following implantation, tubulin content of the decidual basal plate area increases rapidly to peak about day 12 then declines. Production of uterine tubulin appears capable of a major, short term response to gonadal hormone stimulation.