Increased lysosomal fragility in the human uterine cervix following estrogen therapy.

In vitro stability of the lysosomal membrane complex was studied in non-pregnant human uterine cervices. The oestrogen therapy caused markedly enhanced lability of the lysosomal membrane complex as evidenced by higher activity of the "marker" enzyme when the preparations were challenged by mechanical or detergent stress. Oestradiol-17 beta might be implicated in altering the metabolism of the proteoglycan complex which may result in the "ripening" of the pregnant cervix.