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- Title
Placental activin A is required for follicular development during the second half of pregnancy in the golden hamster ( Mesocricetus auratus ).
- Authors
Sayoko Arakawa
- Abstract
Abstract Numerous antral follicles develop during the second half of pregnancy in the golden hamster even though LH and FSH are maintained at basal levels. To investigate the possible hormone actions of activin A associated with follicular development, pregnant golden hamsters were placentectomized on day 6 of pregnancy and animals were sacrificed at day 8, 10, 12, or 14 of pregnancy. There was a drastic decrease in the plasma concentrations of activin A from day 10 of pregnancy in the operated group compared to the controls. Positive immunohistochemical staining of inhibin/activin subunits βA and βB in the syncytiotrophoblast of the placenta revealed the source of activin A, AB, or B. The number of healthy follicles did not change until day 12 between the operated and the control groups, but decreased in numbers in the operated groups thereafter. The decreased concentrations of inhibin A, B, and estradiol-17β in the operated groups at day 10 and 12 correlated well with the number of mature follicles in response to hCG treatment. In conclusion, we revealed that activin A secreted from the placenta induces folliculogenesis to maintain the high levels of estradiol-17β needed to induce uterine dilatation for fetus growth and impending parturition.
- Subjects
ACTIVIN; PLACENTA; GOLDEN hamster; PREGNANCY in animals; HAIR follicles
- Publication
Endocrine (1355008X), 2008, Vol 33, Issue 2, p126
- ISSN
1355-008X
- Publication type
Article