Cyclic changes in the metabolism of glycogen in cervical mucus of bonnet monkeys (Macaca radiata)

Abstract

The bonnet monkey (Macaca radiata) of South India secretes large quantities of cervical mucus (Ovadia, McArthur, Kopito & Ulfelder, 1971) but little is known about its biochemical composition. Enzymes of cervical mucus have an important rôle to play by providing energy for sperm motility, survival and transport in the female genital tract. In this study, an attempt was made to evaluate cyclical changes in the activities of glycogen phosphorylase, maltase and amylase, enzymes involved in the degradation of glycogen, and to compare these changes with alterations in serum LH levels during the menstrual cycle. Adult female bonnet monkeys were housed individually in open wire cages.