Estrogen stimulation of conjugase activity in the uterus of ovariectomized rats.

Recent observations have indicated that uterine folic acid conjugase (pterolypolyglutamyl hydrolase) undergoes rhythmic variation during the reproductive cycle of the rat. In the present study conjugase activity and ratios of "total" folate to "free" folate were determined in uterine homogenates of ovariectomized rats, with ane without estrogen stimulation. An increase in conjugase levels and a relative increase in the "free" folate component occurred in castrated animals 12 to 18 hours following injection of 10 mug of estradiol-17beta.