title: Stimulation of immunoreactive inhibin production by preimplantation embryos during early pregnancy in the marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus).
abstract: The role of the embryo in promoting increased plasma concentrations of immunoreactive inhibin after conception in the marmoset monkey was determined by flushing embryos from the uterus between days 5 and 9 after ovulation (implantation commences on days 11-12). Blood samples were taken from each animal (three times a week) after ovulation until the end of the luteal phase. Plasma inhibin concentrations were measured using a radioimmunoassay based on antisera against a synthetic fragment of the alpha-subunit of human inhibin. When embryos were flushed on days 5 and 6 (n = 6) after ovulation inhibin concentrations did not exceed 250 ng ml-1 for the duration of the luteal phase. In contrast when embryos were flushed on days 7 (n = 4), 8 (n = 4) and 9 (n = 3) maximum concentrations of inhibin always exceeded 250 ng ml-1, reaching > 400 ng ml-1 when embryos were flushed on days 8 and 9. Inhibin concentrations remained high for the duration of the luteal phase, which varied in length between 20 and 32 days. Significantly (P < 0.01) higher mean plasma concentrations of immunoreactive inhibin were first recorded on days 7-8 after ovulation in animals that had embryos flushed on days 7, 8 and 9 compared with concentrations in animals that had embryos flushed on days 5 and 6. Inhibin could not be detected in the medium of embryos cultured for up to 2 weeks.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: MRC/AFRC Comparative Physiology Group, Institute of Zoology, London, UK.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Webley
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hearn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000378:metabolism*; D002144:Callithrix; D005260:Female; D007265:Inhibins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D007265:Inhibins