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Updated: Aug 4, 2026

Collection, Isolation, and Flow Cytometric Analysis of Human Endocervical Samples
Published on: July 6, 2014
Vaginal-cervical epithelial permeability decreases after menopause
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University MacDonald Women's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA. gig@po.cwru.edu
Objective:
To determine the effects of menopause (aging and E) on vaginal-cervical epithelial paracellular permeability.
Design:
Experimental, basic clinical research.
Setting:
Academic research environment.
Patient(S):
Premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women, aged 35-65 years.
Intervention(S):
Primary to tertiary cultures of normal human ectocervical epithelial cells on filters. Cells were outgrown from surgically discarded ectocervical minces.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Changes in paracellular permeability were determined as changes in transepithelial electrical conductance and pyranine permeability.
Result(S):
[1] Levels of transepithelial electrical conductance and pyranine permeability decreased as women's age advanced. [2] Removal of E from the culture medium decreased paracellular permeability. Treatment of cells in vitro with 10 nmol/L 17beta-E2 increased transepithelial electrical conductance and pyranine permeability, but the effects were additive to the age-related decrease in permeability. [3] Coadministration of 100 nmol/L tamoxifen blocked the E increase in paracellular permeability in cells of both premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Conclusion(S):
[1] Aging and E deficiency decrease independently vaginal-cervical epithelial paracellular permeability. [2] The E increase in vaginal-cervical epithelial paracellular permeability in cells of postmenopausal women is mediated by the E receptor. [3] The E increase in vaginal-cervical epithelial paracellular permeability in cells of postmenopausal women is masked by age-related increase in the tight junctional resistance, leading to overall decrease in paracellular permeability.
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