STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF OVULATION

Abstract

Studies with rabbits, cows and mares show that follicular fluid stains metachromatically with toluidine blue and the intensity of the metachromasia decreases in the preovulatory phase. The pre-ovulatory follicular fluid contains an agent capable of depolymerizing the mucopolysaccharide substances present in the follicle. The colloidal osmotic pressure (C.O.P.) of follicular fluids of these species is about 21.5 cm water and after incubation of the fluid with testicular hyaluronidase the C.O.P. is increased by a factor of about 3.5. Follicular fluid displays the phenomena of flow-elasticity and flow-elasticity potentials. Both effects disappear on incubation with testicular hyaluronidase. Follicular fluid contains glycoproteins but in lower concentration than in the blood serum. It is concluded that the increase in colloid osmotic pressure resulting from the enzymatic degradation of the muco-polysaccharides present in the follicular fluid plays an important role in the ovulatory mechanism.