To determine whether prolactin affects both luteal and follicular production of testosterone and oestradiol, pseudopregnant rats, either intact or hypophysectomized on day 8, were injected daily between days 8 and 9 with 1.5 i.u. human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), 250 micrograms prolactin or a combination of both. Control rats were given vehicle. On day 9, blood was obtained from the ovarian ...

Leptin is a polypeptide that plays a key role in the regulation of energy homeostasis and is also linked, among others, to mechanisms controlling reproductive processes. Data concerning the involvement of leptin in controlling reproductive functions at the level of hypothalamus and pituitary in the pig are limited. Therefore, in the present study, an expression of genes coding for leptin and lo...

We examined the immunohistochemical localization of luteinizing hormone (LH)/human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) receptor (LH-R) in the human ovary using the anti-human LH-R monoclonal antibody, 3B5. In the antral follicles, LH-R was detected on theca interna cells. In pre-ovulatory follicles, granulosa cells also expressed LH-R. During corpus luteum formation, granulosa cells seemed to increas...

In the domestic species, regression of the corpus luteum is dependent on uterine release of prostaglandin (PG)F2 alpha. Despite the central role of PGF2 alpha in luteolysis, very little is known about the actual mechanism of prostaglandin-induced regression at the level of the luteal cell. Many studies have focused on the cellular site of action of PGF2 alpha, and it seems likely that this comp...

One of the many roles of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α is to control mammalian corpus luteum (CL) PG synthesis and apoptotic cell death. Here, the cellular localization of TNF-α and its type I (TNF-RI) and type II (TNF-RII) receptors in bovine luteal tissue were analyzed using in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and quantitative real-time PCR. Transcripts for TNF-α were expressed in bo...

1. The objective of this study was to investigate whether the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle differs from the follicular phase by the development of a state of general vascular relaxation. 2. Once in the follicular and once in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, we measured by non-invasive techniques: arterial blood pressure (by finger blood pressure measurements), vascular tone (by p...

CONTEXT About 10% of Japanese female athletes are afflicted by menstrually-related edema, mainly in the lower limbs, and, with few studies on this problem, the effect on performance remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To quantitatively evaluate fluid retention in the calf in female students over their menstrual cycle using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to determine the relationship of MRI chang...

The corollary follow up study carried presents variation in electrolyte content of serum during menstrual, follicular, ovulatory and luteal phases of menstrual cycle. Variation in sodium, potassium and chloride were found to be parallel with each other. Their level increase significantly from follicular to ovulatory phase and falls significantly during luteal phase. Bicarbonate levels are highe...

Background During a normal menstrual cycle, progesterone prepares the endometrium for pregnancy by stimulating proliferation in response to human chorionic Gnadotropin produced by the corpus luteum. Many questions were raised about the role of follicular fluid aspiration on the granuloma cells at the time of oocyte retrieving during the ART cycles. Authors believes that oocyte retrieval might d...

Icelandic ewes, living under natural photoperiod conditions, were treated with daily melatonin (2.5 and 10 mg day-1) for 75 days from the autumn equinox. Ewes were also exposed to a ram from the autumn equinox until the end of June, for 30 days from the end of the anoestrous period (30 October), and from 11 December for 30 days during the oestrous season. Blood samples were collected three time...