Luminal epithelial cells are the first embryonic-maternal contact site undergoing very specific changes associated with reproductive processes. Cells prepare for embryo development by increasing their volume, with the help of aquaporins that provide a transcellular path of rapid water movement during the secretion and absorption of fluids, as well as connexins enabling the flow of inorganic ions and small molecules. In this work, we have examined how AQPs and Cx's behave in luminal epithelium primary cell culture. Cells obtained from porcine specimen during slaughter were primarily in vitro cultured for 7 days. Their proliferation patterns were then analyzed using RTCA, with the expression of genes of interest evaluated with the use of immunofluorescence and RT-qPCR. The results of these changes of gene of interest expression were analyzed on each of the seven days of the porcine luminal primary cell culture. Our study showed that the significant changes were noted in the case of Cx43, whose level of protein expression and distribution increases after 120 hours of culture, when the cells enter the lag phase, and maintains an upward trend until the end of the culture. We noted an increase in AQP4, AQP7, AQP8, and AQP11 levels throughout the entire culture period, while the largest differences in expression were found in AQP3, AQP4, and AQP10. The obtained results could become a point of reference for further in vivo and clinical research. Experiments conducted with these proteins showed that they influence the endometrial fluid content during the oestrous cycle and participate in the process of angiogenesis, which intensifies during endometrial development.

Department of Anatomy Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland

Department of Histology and Embryology Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology University Hospital and Masaryk University Brno Czech Republic

Department of Toxicology Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland

Division of Anatomy and Histology University of Zielona Góra Zielona Góra Poland

Division of Histology and Embryology Department of Human Morphology and Embryology Wroclaw Medical University Wroclaw Poland

Physiology Graduate Program North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA

Veterinary Centre Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun Torun Poland

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