Uterine influences on the formation of subnormal corpora lutea in seasonally anestrous ewes
1991
Hu, Y. | Nephew, K.P. | Pope, W.F. | Day, M.L.
The hypothesis that subnormal luteal function after induced ovulation in anestrous ewes was the result of uterine influences exerted during the periovulatory period was tested. Crossbred ewes (n = 27) in seasonal anestrus were induced to ovulate by administration of 12 doses of 250 ng of LHRH at 2-h intervals, followed immediately by a bolus injection of LHRH (250 microgram; d 0). Ewes were unilaterally hysterectomized on either d -3 (PRELHRH) or 2 (POSTLHRH). Daily blood samples were collected and assayed for progesterone (P4) and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGFM). All ewes were slaughtered on d 10, and corpora lutea (CL) were collected, weighed, and assayed for concentration of P4. All ewes that ovulated exclusively in the ovary ipsilateral to the remaining uterine horn had a transient increase in plasma P4 of 2 to 3 d (short luteal phase). In ewes with at least one CL in the isolated ovary, elevated plasma P4 was maintained after hysterectomy but was consistently lower (P < .05) in POSTLHRH ewes than in PRELHRH ewes. Concentrations of PGFM did not differ between treatments. The CL ipsilateral to the remaining uterine horn weighed less (P < .01) and contained less P4 (P < .01) than contralateral CL. These data confirm the hypothesis that premature regression of subnormal CL is uterine-dependent in a local fashion. Presence of the uterus during the follicular and(or) early luteal phase inhibited subsequent luteal function in seasonally anestrous ewes.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by National Agricultural Library