title: Prostacyclin formation by myometrial & decidual fractions of the pregnant rat uterus.
abstract: Chopped samples of myometrium, decidua and extrinsic blood vessels from the pregnant rat uterus when incubated at room temperature generated a prostacyclin-like substance. Activity in the incubation mixtures was compared against authentic prostacyclin in two assay systems: relaxation of strips of bovine coronary artery and inhibition of ADP-induced aggregation of rabbit platelet-rich plasma. Results estimated from inhibition of platelet aggregation showed that activity generated by all samples was low on day 12 of pregnancy (less than 0.25 ng/mg). However at the time of delivery (day 22) myometrial synthesis had increased 18.5 fold to over 3 ng/mg of prostacyclin whereas decidual production had only increased 5 times. As there was no increase in synthesis by the extrinsic uterine blood vessels over this period it is proposed that the myometrial muscle cells are the probable source of the prostacyclin-like material.
mesh_terms: D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D003656:Decidua / Q000378:metabolism*; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D009215:Myometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011453:Prostaglandins; D000244:Adenosine Diphosphate; D011464:Epoprostenol