A biochemical study of the cervical and nasal mucus fern phenomenon

In 1945 Papanicolaou1 discovered the interesting phenomenon that cervical mucus spread on a slide and left to dry crystallized with “arborization,” a fern- or palm leaf-like reaction. He considered this phenomenon chracteristic of the time of ovulation. Subsequently numerous workers2–5 and others carried the investigations further. They concluded that while arborization of the cervical mucus was a reflection of estrogenic activity, the corpus luteum phase was characterized by the disappearance of arborization and the appearance of a cellular reaction (cellular pattern). This phenomenon was consequently made use of as a test for ovulation, early pregnancy, and in addition, as a means of differentiation between amenorrhea of pregnancy and that from other causes. Zondek,6 in 1954, found in his basic study of the phenomenon of the mucus arborization, that other mucus-secreting surfaces in the body (nose, salivary and lacrimal glands, etc.) also produced the reaction. But he considered the phenomenon to be of specific significance only in the cervix where fern formation paralleled estrogenic activity. Further, Zondek and Lander-strom-Lang cooperating with Rydberg7 showed that the fern phenomenon was dependent upon certain electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium chlorides and potassium bromide in combination with protein substances or saccharides. Other electrolytes, however, such as calcium and barium chlorides, sodium bromide and sulfate, and potassium nitrate, failed to induce the reaction in Zondek's experiments. The purpose of this paper is to present a study of the biochemical basis of the phenomenon of arborization demonstrating how it depends upon electrolyte concentration in any solution.