The study of the process of fluid-phase endocytosis in cervical squamous cells using fluorescent microspheres

Physiological processes in cervical squamous epithelium have not been exten sively studied. Perhaps understandably, most of the research has concentrat ed on the pathology of the cervix, in particular dysplasia and malignancy. Fluid-phase endocytosis is a physiological process which has been demonstra ted to be important in understanding disease development at other squamous epithelial sites, e.g. oesophagus. In this study, we have demonstrated by a new methodology developed in our laboratory using fluorescent microspheres and flow cytometry that fluid-phase endocytosis occurs in cervical squamou s cells. The process has been shown to be dose- and time-dependent. This no vel approach provides a means to improve our understanding of the physiolog ical functions of the cervix and may provide insight into the pathogenesis of cervical neoplastic and non-neoplastic disease.