Developmental and periovulatory changes of ovarian norepinephrine in the rat.
Norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) contained in the rat ovary were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Concentration of ovarian NE reached adult levels around 5 weeks of age, when the first ovulation occurs. During induction of ovulation, the ovarian NE contents increased slightly during the preovulatory phase, followed by a significant decrease in the postovulatory phase, whereas the turnover of ovarian NE decreased during the preovulatory phase. These results suggest that ovarian noradrenergic nerves were in a somewhat inactivated state during the preovulatory phase. Therefore, ovarian sympathetic nerves are considered to participate in mechanisms of the onset of puberty and ovulation.
D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008781:Methyltyrosines / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D010053:Ovary / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D010060:Ovulation; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D019805:alpha-Methyltyrosine
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine; D008781:Methyltyrosines; D019805:alpha-Methyltyrosine; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine