Abstract
Cholesterol side-chain cleavage was measured in mitochondria isolated from luteinized ovarian tissue of immature rats super-ovulated with exogenous gonadotropin. The assay was based on the conversion of added [4- 14C]cholesterol to [4- 14C]pregnenolone and [4- 14C]-progesterone. The apparent initial rate of the reaction, and its time course, were a function of the degree of pre-equilibration of the mitochondria with added [4- 14C]cholesterol; the data indicated that the pool of intramitochondrial cholesterol readily available for steroidogenesis was of limited size, and that the rate of replenishment of this pool effectively limited cholesterol side-chain cleavage activity. When luteinizing hormone or human chorionic gonadotropin was given, sub-cutaneously, to these rats, one hour before sacrifice, rates of ovarian mitochondrial cholesterol side-chain cleavage were invariably elevated. The data suggest that the rate of this reaction is governed by cholesterol availability and that luteinizing hormone control is exerted at the level of cholesterol translocation.
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