The nature and role of pregnancy-associated antigens and the endocrinology of early pregnancy in the ewe.
Depite descriptions of many of the physiological events of early pregnancy in the ewe, the way in which the immunological and endocrine adjustments are brought about is not well understood. Obviously, specific effects--for example, maintenance of the corpus luteum--are brought about by the presence of a conceptus in the uterus. This has led to a search for substances produced by the conceptus or induced by the presence of the conceptus in the uterus which could be involved in establishing pregnancy. This paper describes the presence in sheep of substances associated with pregnancy and discusses the origin and characterization of these substances and their role in ovine pregnancy.
D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001692:Biological Transport; D002417:Cattle / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D011817:Rabbits / Q000276:immunology; D012756:Sheep; D014599:Uterus / Q000276:immunology
D000941:Antigens; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007930:Leucine; D005947:Glucose