Progestin Levels in Corpora Lutea and Progesterone in Ovarian Venous and Jugular Vein Blood Plasma of the Pregnant Bovine

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Abstract
Progesterone and 200 -hydroxy [DELTA]4-pregnene-3-one (20[beta] -ol) were assayed in 125 corpora lutea (CL), and in 78 ovarian and 61 jugular venous blood plasma samples from cows 11 to 284 days after estrus, breeding, or pregnancy. The objective was to evaluate luteal function. Weight of the CL, progesterone content, 20[beta] -ol content and concentration increased significantly as age of the animal increased. Progesterone concentration in ovarian vein plasma declined during pregnancy (r=-0.83;P < 0.01), while jugular plasma levels increased (r=0.28;P < 0.05). Weight and progesterone content and concentration of the CL did not change significantly (P < 0.25), but content and concentration of 20[beta] -ol were high at 52 days, then declined and increased to a 2nd peak at 204 days and again declined at 232 and 252 days (P < 0.005). Weight of the CL was not highly correlated with any of the hormone measurements. The partial correlations (age of animal held constant) between content and concentration of progesterone 20[alpha] -ol, and total progestin in the CL were 0.87, 0.94, and 0.87 (P < 0.01), respectively. Ovarian venous plasma progesterone concentration was correlated with progesterone (r=0.25; P < 0.05) and progestin (r=0.23; P <0.05) content of the CL. Correlations involving blood plasma progesterone, ovarian or jugular, were not significant. Average [plus or minus] standard errors for the study were: CL-weight 6.5[plus or minus]0.15 g; progesterone content 199[plus or minus] 9.9 [mu]g and concentration 31.1[plus or minus]1.4 [mu]g/g; 20[beta]-ol content 41.0[plus or minus]3.0 [mu]g and concentration 6.2[plus or minus]0.44 [mu]g/g; and ovarian and jugular venous plasma concentrations 2.9[plus or minus].0.21 [mu]g/ml and 30.3[plus or minus]1.7 ng/ml, respectively.

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