Summary
Anoestrous Romney Marsh ewes with or without progesterone pretreatment were injected with multiple low-doses of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone followed by a single, larger bolus. Blood samples were taken at twelve-hourly intervals for progesterone radioimmunoassay. Ewes were slaughtered on day 3 or 5 after the bolus injection, and the ovaries were collected for histology and immunocytochemical examination for oxytocin-immunocreactivity. The corpora lutea of all ewes killed on day 3 had similar weights and morphology. The ovaries of those ewes which were not pretreated with progesterone also contained some luteinized cysts. Ewes slaughtered on day 5 were separated into 2 groups according to plasma progesterone profiles, which were either rising (‘normal’), or falling after a transitory rise (‘abnormal’). Those ewes pretreated with progesterone all had a ‘normal’ progesterone profile whereas, of 14 ewes not pretreated with progesterone, 6 were ‘normal’ and 8 ‘abnormal’. Corpora lutea were significantly lighter in the ‘abnormal’ group and the ovaries of most of these ewes also contained luteinized cysts. All corpora lutea and luteinised cysts showed staining for oxytocin-immunoreactivity although the staining intensity was variable. In corpora lutea from ‘normal’ ewes oxytocin was restricted to large luteal cells. In addition tissues from ‘abnormal’ ewes also contained many cells with an atypical elongated shape which stained for oxytocin-immunoreactivity. These results show that progesterone pretreatment is needed for both normal morphological and endocrine development of corpora lutea in anoestrous ewes stimulated with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ainsworth L, Tsang BK, Downey BR, Baker RD, Marcus GJ, Armstrong DT (1979) Effect of indomethacin on ovulation and luteal function in gilts. Biol Reprod 21:401–411
Corner GW (1948) Alkaline phosphatase in the ovarian follicle and in the corpus luteum. In: Contributions to Embryology No. 27, Vol 32. Carneige Institute, Washington, pp 3–8
Cran DG (1983) Follicular development in the sheep after priming with PMSG. J Reprod Fertil 67:415–423
Denning-Kendall PA, Guldenaar SEF, Wathes DC (1989) Evidence for a switch in the site of relaxin production from small theca-derived cells to large luteal cells during early pregnancy in the pig. J Reprod Fertil 85:261–271
Deane HW, Hay MF, Moor RM, Rowson LEA, Short RW (1966) The corpus luteum of the sheep; relationships between morphology and function during the oestrous cycle. Acta Endocrinol 51:245–263
Diekman MA, O'Callaghan P, Nett TM, Niswender GD (1978) Validation of methods and quantification of luteal receptors for LH throughout the estrous cycle and early pregnancy in ewes. Biol Reprod 19:999–1009
Erb RG, Randell RD, Callahan LY (1971) Female sex steroid changes during the reproductive cycle. J Anim Sci 32 [Suppl] 1:80–106
Farin CE, Moeller CL, Sawyer HR, Gamboni F, Niswender GD (1986) Morphometric analysis of cell types in the ovine corpus luteum throughout the estrous cycle. Biol Reprod 35:1299–1308
Farin CE, Sawyer HR, Niswender GD (1989) Analysis of cell types in the corpus luteum of the sheep. J Reprod Fertil [Suppl] 37:181–187
Fitz TA, Mayan MH, Sawyer HR, Niswender GD (1982) Characterization of two steroidogenic cell types in the ovine corpus luteum. Biol Reprod 27:703–711
Flint APF, Sheldrick EL (1982) Ovarian secretion of oxytocin is stimulated by prostaglandin. Nature 297:587–588
Hamilton CJCM, Evers JLH, de Haan J (1987) Ovulatory disturbances in patients with luteal insufficiency. Clin Endocrinol 26:129–136
Hunter MG, Southee JA, McLeod BJ, Haresign W (1986) Progesterone pretreatment has a direct effect on GnRH induced preovulatory follicles to determine their ability to develop into normal corpora lutea in anoestrous ewes. J Reprod Fertil 76:349–363
Hunter MG, Southee JA, Lamming GE (1988) Function of abnormal corpora lutea in vitro after GnRH-induced ovulation in the anoestrous ewe. J Reprod Fertil 84:139–148
Hunter MG, Ayad VJ, Gilbert CL, Southee JA, Wathes DC (1989) Role of prostaglandin F-2α and oxytocin in the regression of GnRH-induced abnormal corpora lutea in anoetrous ewes. J Reprod Fertil 85:551–561
Kerin JF, Kirby C, Morris D, McEvoy M, Ward B, Cox LW (1983) Incidence of the luteinized unruptured follicle phenomenon in cycling women. Fertil Steril 40:620–626
Killick S, Elstein M (1987) Pharmacologic production of luteinized unruptured follicles by prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors. Fertil Steril 47 (5):773–777
Legan SJ, I'Anson H, Fitzgerald BP, Akaydin MS Jr (1985) Importance of short luteal phases in the endocrine mechanism controlling initiation of estrous cycles in anoestrous ewes. Endocrinology 117:1530–1536
McCellen MC, Diekman MA, Abel Jr JH, Niswender GD (1975) Luteining hormone, progesterone and the morphological development of normal and superovulated corpora lutea in sheep. Cell Tissue Res 164:291–307
McLeod BJ, Haresign W, Lamming GE (1982) Response of seasonally anoestrous ewes to small-dose multiple injections of GnRH with and without progesterone pretreatment. J Reprod Fertil 65:223–230
Murdoch WJ, Dunn TG (1983) Luteal function after ovulation blockade by intrafollicular injection of indomethacin in the ewe. J Reprod Fertil 69:671–675
Murdoch WJ, Peterson TA, Van Kirk EA, Vincent DL, Inskeep EK (1986) Interactive roles of progesterone, prostaglandins and collagenase in the ovulatory mechanism of the ewe. Biol Reprod 35:1187–1194
O'Shaughnessy PJ, Wathes DC (1985) Characteristics of bovine luteal cells in culture: morphology, proliferation and progesterone secretion in different media and effects of LH, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, antioxidants and insulin. J Endocrinol 104:355–361
O'Shea JD, Cran DG, Hay MF (1979) The small luteal cell of the sheep. J Anat 128:239–251
O'Shea JD, Cran DG, Hay MF (1980) Fate of the theca interna following ovulation in the ewe. Cell Tissue Res 210:305–319
O'Shea JD, Rodgers RJ, Wright PJ (1984) Morphometric analysis and function in vivo and in vitro of corpora lutea from ewes treated with LH-RH during seasonal anoestrus. J Reprod Fertil 72:75–85
Rodgers RJ, O'Shea JD, Findlay JK, Flint APF, Sheldrick EL (1983) Large luteal cells the source of luteal oxytocin in the sheep. Endocrinology 113:2302–2304
Rodgers RJ, O'Shea JD, Bruce NW (1984) Morphometric analysis of the cellular composition of the ovine corpus luteum. J Anat 138:757–769
Rodgers RJ, O'Shea JD, Findlay JK (1985) Do small and large luteal cells of the sheep interact in the production of progesterone. J Reprod Fertil 75:85–94
Sawyer HR, Moellar CL, Kozlowski GP (1986) Immunocytochemical localization of neurophysin and oxytocin in ovine corpora lutea. Biol Reprod 34:543–548
Southee JA, Hunter MG, Haresign W (1988) Function of abnormal corpora lutea in vivo after GnRH-induced ovulation in the anoestrous ewe. J Reprod Fertil 84:131–137
Sternberger LA (1979) The unlabelled antibody peroxidase-antiper-oxidase (PAP) method. In: Immunocytochemistry, 2nd edn. Wiley, New York
Theodosis DT, Wooding FBP, Sheldrick EL, Flint APF (1986) Ultrastructural localization of oxytocin and neurophysin in the ovine corpus luteum. Cell Tissue Res 243:129–135
Wathes DC, Swann RW (1982) Is oxytocin an ovarian hormone? Nature 297:225–227
Wathes DC, Guldenaar SEF, Swann RW, Webb R, Porter DG, Pickering BT (1986) A combined radioimmunoassay and immunocytochemical study of ovarian oxytocin production during the preovulatory period in the ewe. J Reprod Fertil 78:167–183
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gilbert, C.L., Hunter, M.G., Southee, J.A. et al. Immunocytochemical localization of oxytocin in corpora lutea and luteinized cysts from anoestrous ewes stimulated with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone. Cell Tissue Res 262, 157–164 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00327757
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00327757