title: Role of embryonic oestrogen in rabbit blastocyst development and metabolism.
abstract: Rabbit morulae were grown for 24 h in Ham's F12 medium supplemented with BSA. CI-628 citrate (1.5 micrograms/ml), a specific oestrogen antagonist, significantly inhibited the transformation of morulae to blastocysts. This inhibition was reversed with oestradiol-17 beta (1 micrograms/ml) but not oestradiol-17 alpha (1 micrograms/ml) added to the culture medium. The specific activities of phosphofructokinase, lactic dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase in blastocysts grown in vitro for 24 h in medium TC 199 + BSA showed significant elevation with blastocyst growth and expansion, while that of acid phosphatase revealed no change, and leucine aminopeptidase activity declined significantly. These changes were markedly inhibited by CI-628 citrate (2 micrograms/ml) and were reversed by oestradiol-17 beta (0.4 micrograms/ml) but not by oestradiol-17 alpha (0.4 micrograms/ml). Our findings suggest a role of oestrogen present in the rabbit morula and blastocyst in the triggering of embryonic differentiation and metabolic functions.
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*; D003470:Culture Media; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology*; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009028:Morula / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009594:Nitromifene / Q000494:pharmacology; D010732:Phosphofructokinase-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004967:Estrogens; D004958:Estradiol; D009594:Nitromifene; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase; D010732:Phosphofructokinase-1; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase