The distribution of blood flow to the reproductive tract of anaesthetized ewes near oestrus.
Radioactive microspheres were used to measure the rate and distribution of blood flow to the reproductive tract of anaesthetized sheep. Seven sheep were examined on day 14, 6 on day 15 and 10 on day 16 of the oestrous cycle: oestrus is normally on day 16 or 17. The rate of blood flow to the myometrium, endometrium and oviducts increased by 2-fold from day 14 to 15: the weights of these organs increased on day 16. Blood flow to the vagina and cervix increased by over 10-fold from day 14 to 15 but vaginal and cervical weights remained unchanged. Thirty minutes after the administration of 1200 IU PMSG, blood flow increased in the vagina and cervix on day 14, the myometrium on day 15 and the vagina, cervix and oviducts on day 16. However, these results must be viewed with caution since there were substantial, though not significant changes in the controls. The results favour the hypothesis that, near the end of the oestrous cycle, oestrogen has a dominant role in the control of blood flow to the reproductive tract of sheep.
D000818:Animals; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000098:blood supply; D004717:Endometrium / Q000098:blood supply; D004971:Estrus; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000098:blood supply*; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008863:Microspheres; D009215:Myometrium / Q000098:blood supply; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010053:Ovary / Q000098:blood supply; D011247:Pregnancy; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply; D014621:Vagina / Q000098:blood supply
D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine