GONADOTROPHIC HORMONES AND OVARIAN HYPEREMIA IN THE RAT

Abstract

The ovarian hyperemia reaction has been employed as a definitive endpoint in a rapid biological test for the early detection of pregnancy. This particular response of the ovary to urinary gonadotrophins was first noticed by Eberson and Silverberg in 1931 and is characterized by a congestion of the vessels of the ovarian tissue resulting in macroscopic reddening of the ovaries. The vasodilatation occurs soon after the administration of chorionic gonadotrophin and has been observed as early as one hour after intraperitoneal injection of urine of pregnancy (Kupperman, 1948). The hyperemic reaction while first described in the ovaries of immature albino rats has also been noted within six hours after the administration of pregnancy urine in the corpora lutea of ovaries of adult rats. A similar reaction was also observed in the ovaries of adult mice and immature hamsters (Kupperman et al., 1943; Kupperman and Greenblatt 1946–1948).