Involvement of the Uterine Blood Vessels in the Refractory State of the Uterine Stroma Which Follows Oestrogen Stimulation in Progesterone-Treated Mice

SUMMARY Increases in uterine capillary permeability after the injection of oestradiol into spayed mice, appeared to be caused by the development of vascular fenestrations and not by the separation of adjoined endothelial cells. Progesterone did not prevent the uterine weight, oedema and vascular responses to the first of two injections of oestradiol but inhibited those to the second. It was concluded that the failure of repeated oestrogen-treatment to produce uterine oedema in progesterone-treated mice resulted from the refractory state which develops after the first injection and which extends to the endometrial vasculature.