ABSTRACT
To determine the effect of bilateral uterine artery ligation [BUAL] on mast cell [MC] distribution, 24 mature female rabbits were studied. The rabbits were ovariohysterectomized on day 23, 43 or 63 following BUAL. Histological sections were stained with toluidine blue to determine the MC distribution. In rabbits that had undergone BUAL, MCs were present extensively in the helium of the treated ovaries, in dense groups close to the blood vessels. In the control group, MCs were observed at a medium density around the blood vessels and the number of MCs in the reproductive tract was significantly [P < 0.01] lower than in the test groups. This study demonstrates that, after BUAL, the distribution and numbers of MCs differ between different parts of the reproductive system