Histoenzymic studies on phosphatases in the uterine wall of the goat (Capra hircus)

The uteri of 8 goats (2 each at pregnancy, estrus, diestrus, and prepubertal periods) were used for histoenzymic localization of alkaline phosphatase (AKP), acid phosphatase (ACP), glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P), and adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase). In the surface and glandular epithelia of endometrium, all the enzymic reactions showed no appreciable change during pregnancy as compared with diestrus, except that the G6P activity was reduced. At estrus, the AKP reaction in the surface as well as glandular epithelia and ATPase in the glandular epithelium did not change, the ACP decreased and G6P increased in both epithelia but ATPase decreased in surface epithelium. Caruncular tissue showed increased AKP and decreased ACP and ATPase reactions at estrus, all being maximum during pregnancy. No specimen showed G6P reaction in the caruncular tissue. In prepubertal uteri, all the enzymes studied were localized in the same locations as in diestrus uteri except that ACP and G6P were not localized in the caruncular tissue. The myometrium of all the samples demonstrated only ATPase.