Serum LH concentration was measured by radioimmunoassay, in peripheral blood obtained daily throughout 21 ovulatory and 3 anovulatory cycles in 18 crab-eating macaques (M. fascicularis) and 7 cycles in 4 bonnet macaques (M. radiata). The occurrence of ovulation was determined by laparoscopic and/or laparotomic examinations in both macaque species. A single mid-cycle peak in LH concentration was detected. LH concentrations were similar during the follicular and luteal phase of the cycle and increased abruptly to approximately a 2–10 fold rise at mid-cycle. LH surge occurred predominantly as a single distinctive peak lasting for one day. In some cycles additional burst in LH concentration occurred 2–4 days after the main LH peak. Ovulation occurred about 6–24 hours after the peak concentration of serum LH. At the time of LH surge, the cervical mucus showed maximal quantity, spinnbarkeit and arborization. The pre-ovulatory LH surge occurred most frequently on Days 10–13 of the cycle. The variability of the length of the menstrual cycle was due primarily to variation in duration of follicular phase, whereas the luteal phase was remarkably constant.
Anovulatory cycles were unaccompanied by mid-cycle LH surge. The mean value of serum LH concentration in anovulatory cycles was similar to the pre- and post-peak serum LH levels in ovulatory cycles. Serum LH was seldom flat but there were often rhythmic oscillations ranging from 20 to 100% of calculated mean value of serum LH.
Free amino acid content was measured in the uterine fluid and blood serum in the following groups of rabbits 168 h post copulation: intact; intact progesterone-treated; ovariectomized progesterone-treated; ovariectomized progesterone-oestradiol-treated; and ovariectomized without hormonal treatment. At implantation, concentration of the majority of amino acid in uterine fluid exceeded greatly that of blood serum; the difference in concentration being maximal for glycine, taurine, alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, serine and threonine. Glutamine-asparagine and arginine were found in comparable quantities or were even higher in blood serum. Glycine, alanine, taurine, glutamic acid, serine and glutamine-asparagine were found in highest concentration in the uterine fluid. The level of ammonia in uterine fluid was also relatively high. Exogenous progesterone and oestradiol caused significant changes in the concentration of some amino acid. The concentration of glycine, taurine, alanine, serine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, threonine, \m=1/2\ cystine and histidine seems to be especially hormonally dependent. The results are discussed in relation to hormonal activity of corpora lutea during early pregnancy, physiological significance of free amino acids in uterine fluid and nourishment of an early embryo.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.