Neuroendocrine Control of Ovarian Autografts

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Abstract
At 24 days of age, either 1 or both ovaries of female rats were removed and transplanted s.c. on their respective side. Relative to sham-operated rats, endocrine effects of the ovarian grafts were as follows: animals with ovarian grafts showed an advancement of puberty; rats with bilateral grafts showed more 5 day estrous cycles and higher FSH levels; hemi-ovariectomy of animals with bilateral grafts produced a greater increase in both LH [luteinizing hormone] and FSH 6-8 h post-surgery in contrast to controls which only showed an increase in serum FSH levels; weights of the bilateral grafts were comparable to intact ovaries, but the unilateral grafts were small and comparable to their original size at the time of transplantation (the intact ovary showing compensatory hypertrophy); both control and bilateral ovarian graft groups showed ovarian compensatory hypertrophy; removal of the small unilateral ovarian graft had no detectable endocrine effect on the remaining intact ovary which had already undergone compensatory hypertrophy; and removal of the intact ovary of rats with a unilateral graft produced a remarkable increase in the wt of the remaining small autograft gonad as well as higher uterine weight than controls. Although ovarian autografts appear to function similar to in situ glands, the alterations in puberty, estrous cycles, FSH and LH levels and uterine weight suggest that endocrine control mechanisms are altered in rats with ovarian grafts.