Notions récentes concernant le corps jaune

Abstract

Corpora lutea from sheep and cows as well as human and primates contain both large and small steroidogenic cells exhibiting distinct functional properties. Only the small cells seem to be able to respond in vitro to LH stimulation by raising their progesterone secretion. However, the entire progesterone secretion of the corpus luteum has been shown to be regulated in vivo by LH in the primate. The LH steroidogenic action involves the activation of membrane adenylate cyclase whose molecular mechanism has been elucidated. Then a rise in intracellular cyclic AMP induces phosphorylation by a cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase of steroidogenic protein targets which have not yet been completely identified. In sheep and cows, luteolysis is believed to be the consequence of a series of reciprocal interactions between the corpus luteum whose large cells secrete pulses of oxytocin in response to PGF2 alpha luteolysin and the endometrium which secretes pulses of PGF2 alpha in response to oxytocin. The secretion of endometrial PGF2 alpha can only begin after the induction of endometrial receptors by estradiol, from the preovulatory follicles. Similarly in women and primates luteolysis, which does not require the presence of the uterus, could be the consequence of local reciprocal paracrine interactions between luteal cells of different types. These interactions are likely to involve PGF2 alpha' oxytocin and estradiol. The biochemical mechanism responsible for the inhibition by PGF alpha of LH induced progesterone secretion in luteal cells could involve a stimulation in the cell membrane of protein kinase C and the rise of cytosolic Ca+.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)