Abstract
Sugar constituents, and aldose reductase (E. C. 1.1.1.21) and ketose reductase (sorbitol dehydrogen-ase: E. C. 1.1.1.14) activities were determined quantitatively in the uterine fluid and the endometrial tissue of sterile cows, and have been compared with those in normal cows.
Bovine uteri were collected from fifty one Holstein-Friesian cows at slaughter house, and were divided into the following six groups according to findings6, 7) of the genitalia: normal (mid-luteal stage), both large follicle and functional corpus luteum present in the ovary, cystic follicle present in the ovary without corpus luteum, cystic corpus luteum, ovarian atrophy, and hydrometra and myxometra (mid-luteal stage).
The methods of sugar determination and enzyme assay were same as previously described2, 4, 5).
Glucose, fructose and sorbitol, which are normal carbohydrate constituents of uterine fluid, were almost absent in the four sterile groups such as large follicle-functional corpus luteum, cystic follicle, atrophic ovary, and hydrometra-mixometra.
In the cystic corpus luteum group, their concentrations varied from nil to near normal. The mean values (mg/100ml) in the normal group at mid-luteal stage were 47.0 in glucose, 20.5 in fructose and 656.0 in sorbitol.
Poor sorbitol formation was found in the endometrium of sterile cows in which the carbohydrate from the uterine fluid showed the low concentration.
However, no appreciable difference was recognized in the glucose concentration and aldose re-ductase activity between the sterile and normal groups.
Sorbitol formation in the endometrial tissue showed a closed relationship with appearance of high pseudostratified columnar type of endometrial epithelial cellular layer and existence of functional corpus luteum in the ovary without large or cystic follicle.
No significant difference was found in inositol content of uterine fluid and endometrial tissue between the sterile and normal groups.
