these results suggest that the secretory immune system in the female mouse reproductive tract may play a role in returning the uterus to an aseptic state after mating by at least three mechanisms : direct blocking of attachment sites involved in bacterial binding to mucosal epithelium , agglutination of bacteria and thus reduction in the number of organisms available for binding to the epithelium , and opsonization of bacteria for phagocytosis by neutrophils .
C0029235
organisms
C0004611
bacteria