Circulating LH, FSH, prolactin, testosterone, delta 4-androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and cortisol levels in the fetus in late gestation and in newborn male and female lambs.
Gonadotropins, prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T), delta 4-androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and cortisol (F) levels were determined from 14 days before birth to term in 3 female and 3 male ovine fetuses with a chronically implanted venous catheter, and in the same animals from birth to 72 h of age. In both sexes, plasma gonadotropins and androgens were low throughout the period of study while plasma F increased with gestational age. After birth, plasma gonadotropins and PRL tended to increase progressively with time while PRL concentrations were significantly higher in female than in male lambs. F and T concentrations decreased significantly within the first 12 and 6 h of postnatal life. Higher T values were again observed at 36 h in male lambs. These data indicate that the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is relatively quiescent in the last 14 days of gestation but is activated within the first 72 h after birth.
D000375:Aging; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005865:Gestational Age; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary / Q000097:blood*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D012756:Sheep / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D000728:Androgens; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone