THE SITE OF PROGESTERONE PRODUCTION IN EARLY PREGNANCY

1971 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tore H:son Holmdahl ◽  
Elof D. B. Johansson ◽  
Leif Wide

ABSTRACT The disappearance of progesterone* and HCG from the plasma was measured following therapeutic abortions in 17 patients from the seventh to the sixteenth week of pregnancy. Between the seventh and the twelfth week of gestation the evacuation of the uterine contents was performed by vacuum aspiration, and from the thirteenth week onwards abdominal hysterotomy was performed. Plasma progesterone was assayed using a competitive protein binding technique, while plasma HCG was determined by a radioimmunosorbent assay. After the evacuation of the uterine contents in the early pregnancy cases (weeks 7–8) the plasma levels of progesterone remained elevated much longer than in the later stages of pregnancy (weeks 12–16), thus suggesting that the corpus luteum graviditatis was the main source of progesterone in the first group, while in the last group the placenta was the main source of progesterone production. When comparing the earlier and later cases of pregnancy, the disappearance rate of plasma HCG remained essentially unaltered. From the results obtained, it seems likely that the transition from the ovarian to the placental production of progesterone occurs during the ninth to eleventh weeks of pregnancy.

1972 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. W. MOORE ◽  
SUSAN BARRETT ◽  
J. B. BROWN

SUMMARY In pregnant ewes the progesterone concentrations in plasma from the maternal jugular, ovarian (active ovary) and uterine veins and from the foetal umbilical vein were measured by a competitive protein-binding technique. Peripheral plasma levels remained fairly uniform throughout pregnancy, whereas ovarian levels dropped at about the 130th day of pregnancy. Uterine plasma levels were low until the 80th day; foetal levels rose as pregnancy progressed. The major sources of progesterone appeared to be the ovary (corpus luteum) and the uterus (placenta). The ovarian contribution was greater during the first two-thirds of pregnancy than later, whereas that made by the placenta was lower during the first one-third of pregnancy.


1976 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 385-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. E. Evans ◽  
W. C. Wagner

ABSTRACT Plasma samples were collected from jugular, uterine and utero-ovarian veins during glucocorticoid induced parturition. Plasma oestrogens, corticosteroids and progesterone were determined by competitive protein binding methods. Corticosteroids and progesterone began to decline within 8 to 10 h following DXMS treatment. Corticoids were only temporarily suppressed, while progesterone fell to minimum levels and remained low through calving. At this stage of gestation (270 days) peripheral plasma progesterone was primarily of ovarian origin. Pre-treatment with HCG appeared to support progesterone production by the CL despite DXMS treatment in 2 of 6 cows. These 2 cows failed to calve within the expected 96 h after DXMS. Plasma oestrogens did not show significant increases until 24 h after DXMS treatment. Cows which responded to DXMS treatment (calved) had significantly higher oestrogen levels than those which did not respond. It was concluded that oestrogens probably play a permissive rather than an initiating role in parturition.


1970 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. D. Reeves ◽  
M. L. A. de Souza ◽  
I. E. Thompson ◽  
E. Diczfalusy

ABSTRACT An improved method for the assay of plasma progesterone by competitive protein binding is described. The improvement is based upon rigorous control of the variables, the compensation for and standardisation of interfering factors inherent in the method and the use of a human corticosteroid binding globulin, that meets the requirements for sensitivity at levels of 1.0 ng of progesterone and below. The assessment of the reliability of the individual steps in the method as well as that of the complete method is presented. The sensitivity of the method is around 0.2 ng progesterone per ml plasma. Accuracy was measured by adding progesterone in amounts ranging from 0.0 to 1.0 ng to 1.0 ml plasma. There was a linear relationship between the progesterone added and recovered throughout the entire range of values, with a coefficient of correlation (r) of 0.94. Of 52 related steroids tested, none was found which would remain associated with progesterone following extraction and purification and which would also compete with progesterone for binding sites.


2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 254
Author(s):  
A. Gaja ◽  
C. Kubota ◽  
T. Kojima

The present study aims to establish a novel practical protocol for early pregnancy diagnosis in cows by using transrectal ultrasonography. The protocol is based on measurements of corpus luteum (CL) cross-sectional area (CL c-s area) change performed at 2 separate days before the coming estrus after AI. Fourteen cows were inseminated artificially, and transrectal ultrasonographical observation of the ovaries and blood collection for measurement of peripheral plasma progesterone (P4) concentration were carried out daily from Days 12 to 23 (Day 0 = the day of onset of estrus). Thereafter, cows were routinely diagnosed for pregnancy at Day 30 by transrectal ultrasonography. The largest CL c-s area was obtained at Day 14 in both pregnant and non-pregnant cows. Seven out of 8 non-pregnant cows showed significant CL c-s area regression between Days 14 and 20 (422 ± 112 v. 249 ± 63 mm2), whereas no regression was observed between Days 14 and 20 in pregnant cows (416 ± 65 v. 402 ± 78 mm2). The regression in the CL c-s area between pregnant and non-pregnant cows was significantly different during Day 18 (424 ± 65 v. 288 ± 88 mm2) to Day 23 (402 ± 71 v. 139 ± 64 mm2). P4 concentration was significantly low (less than 1 ng mL–1) at Day 20 in 3 out of 8 non-pregnant cows, whereas the pregnant cows showed significant increase of P4 between Days 14 and 20 (2.6 ± 0.2 v. 3.4 ± 0.5 ng mL–1). The pregnant cows showed significantly higher P4 concentration starting from Day 18 than non-pregnant cows. However, in non-pregnant cows, 4 cows returned to estrus on Day 20 or after, 3 cows showed no signs of estrus, and 1 cow came in estrus as early as Day 18 after AI. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that measuring the change in the CL c-s area at Days 14 and 20 makes it possible to detect the non-pregnant cows at Day 20 after AI. However, it was also indicated that measuring the change of P4 concentrations on the same days did not always successfully detect non-pregnant cows. The new protocol based on CL c-s area regression rate can detect almost certainly non-pregnant cows at Day 20 after AI. It is suggested that this method is advantageous in research and industrial breeding.


1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
PIERRE MATTON ◽  
VICTOR ADELAKOUN ◽  
JACQUES DUFOUR

Previous results have shown that progesterone levels were higher on the day of parturition in cows with retained fetal membranes (RFM) than in cows with normal calving, suggesting incomplete lysis of the corpus luteum (CL). This experiment was performed to evaluate the activity of the CL and the level of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto prostaglandin F2α (PGFM) in RFM cows. Cows with RFM or those calving normally (NC) were ovariectomized 12–14 h after parturition. Blood samples were taken from the caudal and utero-ovarian veins. Slices of CL were incubated with or without human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) medium for 3 h. Plasma progesterone was higher in both the caudal and utero-ovarian veins of RFM cows than in those of NC cows (1.12 ± 0.25 vs. 0.62 ± 0.08 ng mL−1 and 2.4 ± 0.3 vs. 1.44 ± 0.33 ng mL−1, respectively). PGFM was also significantly higher in RFM cows (3.62 ± 0.19 vs. 2.55 ± 0.15 ng mL−1). Progesterone production by CL slices from both types of cows, incubated without hCG, was similar (65 ± 4.2 vs. 73 ± 5.1 μg g−1); with hCG, however, the progesterone production by the CL of RFM cows was 186.3 ± 10.7 μg g−1, 75.7 μg g−1 more than in CL of cows with normal calving. These results support the hypothesis of an incomplete luteolysis of the CL in RFM cows in spite of hieher levels of PGF2α. Key words: Corpus luteum activity, progesterone, prostaglandin, postpartum cows, retained placenta


1977 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
AA Gidley-Baird

Measurement of plasma progesterone, LH and FSH were made every 6 h during the first 6 days of pregnancy in the mouse. Plasma progesterone and LH were low on day 1, minimum values being recorded at 24 h post coitus. Concentrations of both these hormones started rising during the second half of day 2 with the rise continuing during day 3 to a progesterone peak of 25 ng/ml early on day 4 and an LH peak of 37 ng/mllate on day 4. Levels of progesterone fell during day 4 and LH during day 5 to approximately half their respective peak values and then remained relatively constant over the remainder of the measurement period. Levels of FSH, which were high early on day 1 (180 ng/ml), fell sharply by midday with a small rise late in the day followed by a decline during day 2 to a minimum level of 20 ng/ml at 48 h post coitus. Early on day 3 FSH values rose to 120 ng/ml then fell to 50-60 ng/ml during the next 6 h and remained relatively stable at this level during days 4 and 5. It is suggested that LH is concerned with progesterone production and maintenance of the corpus luteum whilst FSH is concerned with the production of oestrogen required for implantation in this species.


1970 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. T. MARTIN ◽  
B. A. COOKE ◽  
W. P. BLACK

SUMMARY A competitive protein-binding method for the measurement of progesterone in plasma of human subjects was investigated. The purification steps necessary to achieve good accuracy, precision and specificity were determined. It was found that one paper chromatographic separation of unwashed ethyl acetate plasma extracts was sufficient, providing that the sample contains a minimum of 1 ng. progesterone. Water blank values equivalent to 0·05 ng. progesterone were consistently obtained. The concentrations of progesterone found in plasma during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle and in male plasma were 0·14 ± 0·14, 0·82 ± 0·74 and 0·022 ± 0·015 (s.d.) μg./100 ml., respectively.


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