The oviduct provides the site and the environment for fertilization and early embryo development. This proposal attempts to evaluate mechanisms by which the oviduct uses its specific secretions and controls serum transudation to regulate the environment for these critical events. This proposal will specifically evaluate the controls of secretion of a family of sulfated oviductal glycoproteins (SOG) which control the humoral immune response in the oviduct. The role of steroid hormones and adrenergic stimulation in secretion will be investigated in vivo and in vitro. Further, monoclonal antibodies will be made against the SOGs to allow evaluation of the domains of the molecule which confer upon SOGs the ability to inhibit immunological complement. In addition, the differential secretion of the SOGs will be evaluated. Since serum components are transudated and form a major portion of the oviductal fluid and since there is a selective amount of serum proteins which are transferred to the oviduct of many species, the control of this process will be examined. Electron microscopy with specific electron dense tracer proteins and combined atrial-oviductal lumen double perfusion with radio labeled proteins will be used. The ability of different size and charged components to traverse capillaries of the oviduct, the basement membrane of the oviduct and the epithelium cell barrier will be evaluated. It is envisioned that these studies may provide mechanisms to develop birth control methodology which could utilize maternal immune responses and selective permeability to limit fertility. Conversely, these studies may lead to methods to circumvent some cases of immune fertility.
