Free amino acid composition of bovine genital tract fluid

Abstract

Composition of free amino acids in the uterine fluid and cervical mucus collected from eighteen cows was examined.
Uterine horn was washed with a Tris-buffered solution which is free from sodium and potassium. Samples obtained by flushing were processed as follows; they were deproteinized with T. C. A. or picric acid, desalted with ion exchanger, and concentrated by evaporation. Ion exchange chromato-graphy for the concentrated samples was attempted by Hitachi amino acid analyzer. The original concentration of free amino acids in the uterine fluid was calculated as described in the previous paper.
A total of eighteen free amino acids was identified in the uterine fluid and cervical mucus. Histidine, methionine, tyrosine and phenylalanine were detectable in some samples while the other amino acids were detected consistently. In general, amino acid concentration was higher in the uterine fluid than in the blood plasma. Glutamic acid, glycine and alanine were predominant in the uterine fluid at luteal phase. Content of valine and leucine was significantly lower in the uterine fluid at estrus than in the plasma while the content of glutamic acid and glycine was significantly higher in the uterine fluid than in the plasma. The results obtained here were discussed in relation to the possible role of the uterine fluid on the embryonic development.