PROGESTINS IN THE OVARIAN VEIN BLOOD OF NONPREGNANT AND PREGNANT RABBITS BEFORE AND AFTER GONADOTROPIC STIMULATION

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Abstract
More than 1.0μg of 20α-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one and progesterone in the ovarian vein blood of rabbits can be quantitatively determined with a new chromatographic system using a partially esterified carboxylic acid type ion exchange resin, Amberlite IRC-50, and a mixture of ethanol and water (3:2 v/v) used as stationary phase and moving phase respectively. Before administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), no progestin output was observed from the ovary of nonpregnant rabbits. Following administration of HCG, 20α-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one and progesterone were immediately detected. 20α-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one was released from the ovary in quantities approximately 12-fold greater than progesterone. Estrogens were not detected. The progestin released from the ovary of pregnant rabbits consisted of 20α-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one and progesterone. The ratio of progesterone to 20α-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one was 0.97 at the middle stage of pregnancy. After administration of HCG, 20α-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one increased significantly, while progesterone remained almost unchanged. The ratio of progesterone to 20α-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one was 0.19. The presence of 20α-hydroxypregn-4-en-3-one in the ovarian vein seems to imply that this steroid hormone may play a role in the reproductive physiology of rabbits.

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