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Production of Prostaglandin F₂ and Its Metabolite by Endometrium and Yolk Sac Placenta in Late Gestation in the Tammar Wallaby, Macropus eugenii¹

^a Department of Zoology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia

In this study, we investigated production of prostaglandin (PG) F₂ and its metabolite, PGFM, by uterine tissues from tammar wallabies in late pregnancy. Endometrial explants were prepared from gravid and nongravid uteri of tammars between Day 18 of gestation (primitive streak) and Day 26.5 (term) and were incubated in Ham's F-10 medium supplemented with glutamine and antibiotics for 20 h. PGF₂ and PGFM in the medium were assayed by specific, validated RIAs. Control tissues (leg muscle) did not produce detectable amounts of either PG. Both gravid and nongravid endometria secreted PGF₂, and production increased significantly in both gravid and nongravid uteri towards term. PGFM was produced in small amounts by both gravid and nongravid uteri, and the rate of production did not increase. Neither oxytocin nor dexamethasone stimulated PG production in vitro in any tissue at any stage. Thus, the surge in peripheral plasma PGFM levels seen at parturition may arise from increased uterine PG production, but further study is needed to define what triggers this release.

¹ Supported by a grant from the Australian Research Council to G.S.

² Correspondence. FAX: 61 3 9344 7909; g.shaw{at}zoology.unimelb.edu.au

³ Current address: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.

⁴ Current address: McFarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.

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