NMR spectroscopy was utilized to study phosphate metabolism of perfused ovaries.
In luteinized ovaries, a loss in ATP of -30% with a concomitant acidification was reversed by 50 pMadenosine. The results suggest that in the ovaries, adenosine can serve to regulate ATP concentration during periodic hypoxic challenges. Q 1986 ~~a d e m i c presn, Inc.
Recently Koos et al. ( 6) developed a method for perfusion of a rat ovary for the study of ovulation. We have concentrated on rat ovaries at the luteal phase and examined the effect of added adenosine on the concentration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This effect was studied biochemically in extracts of isolated rat luteal cells (7), to assess whether adenosine amplification of LH-stimulated CAMP accumulation and steroidogenesis (8-10) are due to changes in ATP concentrations.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Animals.
Immature, 25-28 day old, Wistar-derived female rats from the Hormone Research Department Colony at the Weizmann Institute were injected subcutaneously with 50 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG, Gestyl, Organon Pharmaceuticals, West Orange, N.J.) and 64 h later with 25 IU human chorionic gonadotropin hCG (Ayerst Laboratories, Rouses Point, N.Y.). All studies were performed on ovaries 4-6 days after hCG injection.