ABSTRACT
Protease activity in rabbit uterine secretion and blastocyst between 5 days 18 hours and 7 days 18 hours after mating was studied histologically and electrophoretically by film gelatin lysis. At definite times after the beginning of implantation, the uterine secretion contains two and the blastocyst covering at least one protease, all with different electrophoretic mobility. Digestion of the blastocyst covering begins on the seventh day post coitum in the area of the embryonic disc. The function of the proteases, origin of the blastocyst protease, and possible activation mechanisms of these enzymes are discussed.
Copyright © 1972 by Company of Biologists
1972
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