Human cervical mucus and its mucous glycoprotein during the menstrual cycle.

Human cervical mucus was collected serially during the menstrual cycles of each of 10 healthy women. After fractionation by equilibrium density centrifugation in CsCl, the sugar composition of the fractions containing mucous glycoprotein (MG) was examined by gas-liquid chromatography. No cyclic variations were detected in the sugar composition of MG (including sialic acid) or in its electrophoretic behavior. The composition of the mucus varied greatly during the cycle. Near ovulation the ratio of proteins to MG was minimal. During the luteal phase this ratio rose quickly. The secretion of MG was high during ovulation. The concentrations of the other proteins. The composition of cervical proteins was mapped by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.