Immunoelectron microscopic localization of a progesterone-inducible protein (avidin) in the chick oviduct mucosa.

Avidin, a specific progesterone inducible protein, was localized in the oviduct magnum mucosa of chicks treated with diethylstilbestrol (DES) or DES plus progesterone, using ultrastructural immunoperoxidase techniques. Diffusion technique and the double or triple layer peroxidase staining method were applied. The results obtained by immunoelectron microscopic peroxidase techniques with high resolution power indicated that progesterone stimulation in the DES-treated chicks resulted in avidin production in the goblet cells of the oviduct epithelium. The sensitive-antiperoxidase staining method revealed a slight avidin production in many goblet cells of chicks treated with only DES. This method also showed some avidin-positive ciliated epithelial cells in chicks treated with progesterone. This results suggest that some ciliated epithelial cells may have functional or metabolic properties characteristic of secretory goblet cells.