title: Arachidonic acid and cell signalling in the ovary and placenta.
abstract: Arachidonic acid (AA) and its metabolites make up a diverse group of signalling molecules important to mediation of metabolic and endocrine function of ovarian and placental cell membranes. This paper reviews recent literature examining AA and eicosanoid involvement in the functional dynamics of follicular development, ovulation and corpus luteum function. The putative roles of AA metabolites in establishment and maintenance of pregnancy are reviewed with reference to decidualization, trophoblast invasion and implantation, maintenance of perfusion of the feto-placental unit and lipid transfer. Finally, recent evidence implicating AA metabolism in mediation of enzyme activity following hormone-receptor coupling within various cells types comprising the placental membranes is reviewed.
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Boone
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000502:physiology*; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000378:metabolism; D015777:Eicosanoids / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000378:metabolism; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology*; D010060:Ovulation; D010740:Phospholipases / Q000378:metabolism; D010920:Placenta / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015777:Eicosanoids; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D010740:Phospholipases