Biology of Reproduction, Vol 15, 153-157, Copyright © 1976 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

Sex Steroids in Reproductive Tract Tissues: Regulation of Estradiol Concentrations by Progesterone

¹ Reproductive Physiology, Oregon Regional Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon 97005 and Department of Biological Structure University of Washington School of Medicine Seattle, Washington 98195

Estradiol-17 (E₂) and progesterone (P) were quantified in the reproductive tract tissues and striated muscle of rhesus monkeys and rats. After homogenates of these tissues had been extracted with ether and defatted, E₂ and P were isolated by chromatography on Sephadex LH-20 columns and quantified by radioimmunoassay. Rhesus monkeys that had been treated with E₂ had significant elevations of this steroid in the reproductive tract tissues (oviduct and uterus) but not in skeletal muscle. When monkeys were treated with a combination of P and E₂ the amount of E₂ in the reproductive tract of this species was significantly reduced. Similar results were obtained in rats, i.e., after combined progesterone and estradiol treatment, the tissue levels of E₂ were significantly lower than those in the uteri of animals not given P. The levels of P were significantly higher in the skeletal muscle of rats treated with E₂ + P. E₂ treatment alone increased the amount of endogenous P found in the uterus of the rat.

Note:
ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors wish to thank Dr. Neal West who assisted in some of the tissue collections.

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