Flint A P, Anderson A B, Goodson J D, Steele P A, Turnbull A C
J Endocrinol. 1976 Jun;69(3):433-44. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0690433.
Progesterone, 17 alpha, 20 alpha-dihydroxypregn-4-en-3-one, androstenedione, total unconjugated oestrogen and oestrone sulphate have been measured by radioimmunoassays in maternal utero-ovarian venous, maternal peripheral venous and/or foetal posterior vena caval plasma from six sheep bearing bilaterally adrenalectomized lambs, in which premature parturition was induced by administration of glucocorticoid. Three of the ewes were overiectomized, and in one of these three animals the foetal testes were also excised, at the time of foetal adrenalectomy. Adrenalectomy was judged to be complete on the basis of plasma cortisol levels in the neonatal lambs, and by examination of the site of ablation at necropsy. In all cases foetal administration of glucocorticoid led to the onset of labour, and lambing, and in all animals the hormonal changes preceding parturition were indistinguishable (either qualitatively or quantitatively) from the changes observed in animals carrying intact lambs. Since therapy with glucocorticoid alone successfully compensates for ablation of the foetal adrenal cortex, it is suggested that glucocorticoid is the only adrenal product required to cause parturition, and that foetal adrenal secretion of androgens may be unnecessary.
通过放射免疫分析法，对6只怀有双侧肾上腺切除羔羊的母羊的子宫 - 卵巢静脉血浆、母体外周静脉血浆和/或胎儿后腔静脉血浆中的孕酮、17α，20α - 二羟基孕 - 4 - 烯 - 3 - 酮、雄烯二酮、总游离雌激素和硫酸雌酮进行了测定。这6只母羊中，有3只在胎儿肾上腺切除时进行了卵巢切除，其中1只在胎儿肾上腺切除时还切除了胎儿的睾丸。根据新生羔羊的血浆皮质醇水平以及尸检时对切除部位的检查，判断肾上腺切除是否彻底。在所有情况下，给胎儿注射糖皮质激素都会引发分娩和产羔，并且所有动物分娩前的激素变化（无论是定性还是定量）与怀有完整羔羊的动物所观察到的变化没有区别。由于单独使用糖皮质激素治疗成功地弥补了胎儿肾上腺皮质的切除，因此有人提出，糖皮质激素是引起分娩所需的唯一肾上腺产物，胎儿肾上腺分泌雄激素可能是不必要的。
