Alterations in microvilli of uterine epithelial cells after colchicine treatment

Colchicine has been injected intra-peritoneally to pregnant rats to determine the effect of this drug on the microvilli of uterine luminal epithelial cells. Microvilli in control animals (saline injected) were 0.51 +/- 0.07 micron tall, whereas in colchicine treated they were only 0.24 +/- 0.02 micron tall. We conclude that colchicine reduces microvillar height in these cells via interaction with microtubules, and suggest that modulations of microtubules probably contribute to the alterations in the microvilli of these cells seen during normal pregnancy.