Polymeric Immunoglobin (Ig) Receptor Production and IgA Transcytosis in Polarized Primary Cultures of Mature Rat Uterine Epithelial Cells1

These studies were conducted to more fully understand the role of uterine epithelial cells (UEC) in immunoglobin (Ig)A movement from tissue into secretions in the female reproductive tract. Indirect immunofluorescence and image analysis showed that the polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR), which is responsible for transporting polymeric IgA (pIgA) across epithelial cells, was expressed in uterine tissues from rats throughout the estrous cycle. UEC pIgR …