Effects of high and low preovulatory concentrations of progesterone on ovulation from the isolated perfused rabbit ovary.

Rabbit ovaries were isolated surgically before the ovulatory gonadotrophin stimulation and perfused in vitro. Untreated, control ovaries never ovulated. Ovaries treated in vitro with ovine LH ovulated 10-14 h later and the oocytes had undergone germinal vesicle breakdown (GVB). LH induced increases in progesterone secretion from the treated ovaries. A 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase blocker ('Compound A') effectively reduced progesterone secretion into the perfusate and follicular fluid to very low levels but had no effect on ovulation rate or on oocyte maturation. Excessively high progesterone levels were obtained artificially in perfusates by addition of exogenous steroid; the number of ovaries ovulating was markedly reduced but there was no effect on oocyte maturation. It is concluded that the rise in progesterone that normally occurs immediately after the LH surge is not a prerequisite for ovulation in the rabbit. However, progesterone may have a modifying effect on LH-induced follicle rupture when at a pharmacologically high level.