EFFECTS OF HYPOPHYSECTOMY ON PROGESTERONE PRODUCTION IN THE FOLLICULAR GRANULOSA CELLS OF THE JAPANESE QUAIL

In order to investigate the mechanism of regulation of progesterone production, quail were hypophysectomized at various times during the ovulation cycle, and granulose cells were isolated from follicles 4 hr after the operation. They were incubated in vitro at $40^{\circ}C$ with or without LH or dibutyryl cyclic AMP, and the amounts of progesterone produced during 3 hr of incubation were measured by radioimmunoassay. Hypophysectomy at 8 hr or 20 hr before the predicted time of ovulation caused a reduced responsiveness of F1 granulosa cells to exogenous LH or dibutyrul cyclic AMP. Although hypophysectomy at 24 hr before ovulation caused a slight reduction of responsiveness of F1 granulosa cells, the reduction of the progesterone production during the incubation without any stimuli was prominent by the sham operation. These results suggest that the presence of pituitary gland influences the ability of the granulose cells to produce progesterone in response to LH or dibutyryl cyclic AMP.