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Biology of Reproduction, Vol 15, 281-290, Copyright © 1976 by Society for the Study of Reproduction
1 Department of Veterinary Science,
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics and
Physiology Department,
University of Wisconsin,
Madison, Wisconsin 53706 The contributions of the ovarian and uterine arteries to the arterial supply of uterus and ovaries
was studied in guinea pigs on Days 0, 3, 4, 7 and 11 of the estrous cycle and Day 11 of pregnancy
(Exp. 1) and on Days 7 and 11 of diestrus and pregnancy (2 x 2 factorial, Exp. 2). Methodology
involved simultaneous injection of microspheres labeled with different isotopes into the left
ventricle (A-spheres) and into the aorta between the origins of ovarian and iliac arteries (B-spheres).
In all guinea pigs, the ovaries and oviducts contained only A-spheres indicating that the ovarian
artery provided all of the arterial supply on all days studied. The ratio of A/B spheres was not
significantly different between the cervix and caudal third of the uterus and it was assumed,
therefore, that the uterine artery provided all of the arterial supply. The A/B ratio was significantly
greater for the cranial third of the uterus than for the middle third and was greater for the middle
third than for the caudal third. The percent blood contributed by the ovarian artery was calculated
to be 90 percent for the cranial third and 44 (Exp. 1) and 42 percent (Exp. 2) for the middle third.
These results demonstrated that the direction of blood flow in the prominent uteroovarian arterial
anastomosis was toward the uterus. In Exp. 2, the percent contribution of the uterine artery to the blood supply to the cranial
third of the uterus increased when the guinea pigs became pregnant especially on Day 11 and on
the side ipsilateral to the ovary with the greater number of CL presumably reflecting the
development of implantation sites. The contribution of each artery to the blood flow to each organ
or segment of the reproductive tract was also expressed in Exp. 2 as a percent of blood flow to the
kidneys. The contribution of the ovarian artery to blood flow to the cranial and middle segments
of the uterus increased significantly toward the end of diestrus. The contribution of the uterine
artery to the middle segment increased significantly at Day 11 in pregnant guinea pigs. An analysis
of the contribution of each artery (ovarian and uterine) to the total blood flow summed over all
genitalia (ovaries, oviducts and uterine horns) indicated that on both Days 7 and 11 the ovarian
artery was the major contributor in cycling guinea pigs, whereas in pregnant guinea pigs at Day 11,
the uterine artery was the major contributor. The supply from the principal contributing artery
(ovarian artery in cycling guinea pigs, uterine artery in pregnant guinea pigs) was greater at Day 11
than at Day 7. These results indicate that the mechanisms for increased blood flow to the paired
genitalia in late diestrus were exerted through the ovarian artery. However, on the corresponding
day of pregnancy the mechanisms for increased flow were exerted through the uterine artery.
Note:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors wish to thank Terrance Phernetton,
Ruth Ledin and Lorna Will for their assistance.
This article has been cited by other articles:
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  T. E. Sweeney, P. Bagher, J. Bailey, S. J. Cherra 3rd, F. N. Grisafi, E. M. Pauli, K. Riley, and S. Soares Intravascular pressure and diameter profile of the utero-ovarian resistance artery network: estrous cycle-dependent modulation of resistance artery tone Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, November 1, 2007; 293(5): H2937 - H2944. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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