Leucocyte involvement in lectin-induced deciduomata formation.

Intra-uterine injection of the lectin Concanavalin A (ConA) on day 5 of PSP induced a rapid and persistent infiltration of leucocytes into the rat uterine stroma. Although the infiltration of leucocytes was witnessed along the entire length of the uterine horn, areas of stromal oedema, indicative of decidualisation (as indicated by the positive Pontamine Sky Blue reaction), were only associated with regions in which the movement of leucocytes across the uterine epithelium was evident. Epithelial disruption and trauma was frequently noted within these regions. We believe that ConA may initiate decidualisation through indirectly causing epithelial trauma.