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Biology of Reproduction, Vol 25, 692-698, Copyright © 1981 by Society for the Study of Reproduction
1 Department of Physiology,
Ralph L. Smith Research Center,
University of Kansas Medical Center,
Kansas City, Kansas 66103 Corpora lutea (CL) and nonluteal ovarian tissues (NLO) were removed from pregnant rats
hypophysectomized (H) or sham-hypophysectomized (sham H) on Day 12 of pregnancy and killed
on Days 14, 16, 18, 20, or 22 (Day 1 = day of sperm-positive vaginal smear). The tissues were
incubated separately for 2 h to examine their ability to produce steroids in vitro. Progesterone (P),
20 On Days 14-20, serum and luteal levels of P, 20 However, the pituitary was responsible for the NLO secretion of T and E2 in the second half of
pregnancy. The NLO of both groups produced small amounts of P with no significant differences
until Day 22. The NLO of H rats produced significantly less amounts of T from Days 14 to 22. In
H rats the NLO always produced only small amounts of E2 throughout the period of observation
whereas marked increases in E2 concentration and production were observed on Days 20 and 22
in the controls.
-dihydroprogesterone (20
-OHP), testosterone (T), and estradiol-17
(E2) in sera, tissues, and
media were measured by radioimmunoassay.
-OHP, and T were the same in H and sham H
rats. However, at Day 22 significant differences in serum P and 20
-OHP and in luteal levels of
20
-OHP and T were apparent. Serum and luteal levels of E2 in both groups did not differ on Days
14 and 16 but decreased after Day 18 in the H rat whereas the levels continued to rise in the controls. In vitro production of P, 20
-OHP, and T by CL was similar in both groups on Days 14
through 20, but significantly different on Day 22. On Days 18-22 of pregnancy, luteal production
of E2 in H rats was significantly lower than in sham H rats. The pituitary, therefore, plays no part
in luteal P, 20
-OHP, and T production from Days 14 to 20 and in luteal production of E2 on
Days 14 and 16 of pregnancy.
Note:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
K. T. was supported as Ford Foundation fellow in
reproductive biology. The research was supported by a
grant from NIH (HD 00596). We wish to thank Mrs.
Darlene Limback for her excellent technical assistance.
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