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Biology of Reproduction, Vol 13, 195-202, Copyright © 1975 by Society for the Study of Reproduction
1 Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology
Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
Fuchu, Tokyo 183, and
Department of Physiology, National Institute of Animal Industry
Chiba 280, Japan Plasma and pituitary FSH and LH were measured by radioimmunoassay at different times
during the first ovulation period (from 1100 h on day 28 to 0800 h on day 29) of immature rats
pretreated with 3 IU PMS on day 26. Gonadotropin changes were compared with those of normal
4-day cyclic rats during the periovulatory period (from 1100 h on proestrus to 0800 h on estrus) to
elucidate the mechanism responsible for the delay of the second estrus in these PMS-primed rats. A rapid increase of plasma FSH and LH occurred after the critical period in the immature rats
as well as in the normal cyclic rats; the peak level of FSH was higher and that of LH lower in
immature rats than in adults. Plasma FSH in the immature rats decreased after 2300 h on day 28,
contrary to the adults in which elevated plasma FSH persisted until 0500 h of the morning of
estrus. The LH surge in the adult rats was transitory showing a different pattern from FSH. In the
immature rats the LH surge lasted 3 h longer than in the cyclic rats. Pituitary FSH and LH contents of cyclic rats rapidly decreased after the critical period. FSH
was replenished during the night (from proestrus to estrus) despite persisting high plasma FSH
levels. In contrast there was only a slight restoration of pituitary LH during this period. On the
other hand, in immature rats pretreated with PMS, pituitary FSH and LH contents revealed the
same pattern: after the critical period there was a gradual decrease until 0200 h on day 29,
followed by a slight increase in the morning. These results indicate that the duration of the FSH surge during the first ovulation period in
these PMS-primed immature rats may not sustain the threshold time necessary for the initiation of
follicular maturation of the new set of follicles for the succeeding estrous cycle. The regulatory
pattern of pituitary gonadotropin and/or the sensitivity of the pituitary to gonadotropin releasing
factors in the immature rats have not yet differentiated into the regulatory pattern in the adult.
Accepted on May 16, 1975
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