Calcium transport across avian uterus. III. Comparison of laying and nonlaying birds.

Transepithelial calcium fluxes were measured across isolated uterus of laying, nonlaying, and molting quail under conditions where no electrochemical difference existed across the tissue. Net uterine transfer of calcium in molting and nonlaying birds occurs in the secretory direction and is approximately one-fifth the value obtained for laying birds. The carbonic anhydrase enzyme activity of uteri from laying birds is twice that of uteri from molting birds and five times greater than that of uteri from nonlaying birds. When measured in the presence and absence of 2-mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol, no statistical difference exists in uterine carbonic anhydrase activities of laying birds or the inhibitory effect of acetazolamide. These results indicate that nonlaying and molting quail secrete calcium at a rate much lower than that of laying quail and that net uterine transfer of calcium exhibits varing degrees of dependence on bicarbonate ion in laying, nonlaying, and molting birds. Carbonic anhydrase data sugges that the activtiy of this enzyme in the quail uterus may be related to uterine calcium secretion.