Aquaporin-1 increases in the rat myometrium during early pregnancy

Immunofluorescence and immunogold techniques were used to determine the presence and distribution of aquaporin-1 (AQP1) within the rat uterus. Uterine tissue from non-pregnant (proestrus) as well as pregnant (days 1, 3, 6 and 7) rats were used. It was found that this water channel was present in the myometrium of the pregnant rat uterus with the intensity of AQP1 immunoreactivity increasing from day I to day 6 of pregnancy. In particular, an increase was also observed in mesometrial as compared to antimesometrial myometrium. Immunolocalization at the electron microscope level indicated that AQP1 was localized to the plasma membrane of smooth muscle cells found within the inner circular layer. It is suggested that AQP1 plays a role in stromal oedema, uterine closure and orientation of the blastocyst.