Lipid patterns in vaginal cells exfoliated from different physiologic conditions.

A comprehensive study was made of the patterns of lipid granules in vaginal cells exfoliated during different hormonal states as well as under neoplastic conditions. The influence of in vitro incubation with estrogen and progesterone on the lipid patterns in cells exfoliated from normal and cancerous cervices was also investigated. The results clearly indicated the influence of sex hormones on the size and distribution of the lipid granules. While estrogen increased the fine lipid granules, as evident during the estrogenic phase of the menstrual cycle, progesterone influenced the coarse granules, which increased during the progestational phase and pregnancy. Similar responses were observed in the in vitro studies. The significance of the fine and coarse granules in different conditions is discussed in light of both the alteration of the metabolic process governing the synthesis of these components and the conversion of fine granules to coarse granules under such conditions.