Regulation of collagen dissolution in the human cervix by oestradiol-17 beta and progesterone

Explants of non-pregnant human cervix in culture for 10 days spontaneously synthesized collagenolytic enzymes with dissolved the collagen in the tissue, resulting in the release of hydroxyproline-containing peptides. Progesterone at 8 X 10(-7) M and oestradiol-17 beta at 4 X 10(-6) M reduced this breakdown by 50%, but oestradiol-17 beta was only inhibitory if the tissue was maintained in an oestrogen-containing environment throughout the preparation of the tissue explants. We conclude that the connective tissue matrix of the human cervix is partly under hormonal control.