Nucleic acid synthesis in the developing mouse ovary, uterus and oviduct studied by light and electron microscopic radioautography.

The DNA and RNA synthesis in the developing mouse ovary and oviduct were studied by 3H-thymidine and 3H-uridine radioautography. The results showed that both DNA and RNA syntheses were active in all surface epithelial cells, in stromal and follicular cells of the ovaries between postnatal days 1 to 7; then they decreased significantly from day 14 on. However, the DNA synthesis in the epithelial and in the stromal cells of the uteri and oviducts was active at days 1 and 3 and decreased from day 7. The RNA synthesis in the uteri and oviducts was active at postnatal day 1, increased from postnatal day 1 to day 14, decreasing between days 30 to 60. An unparalleled alternation of the DNA and RNA synthesis was shown between the ovary and uterus or oviduct. After postnatal day 3, the RNA synthesis was more important in the uterus and oviduct than in the ovary.