Disparate Effects of Prostaglandins on Basal and Gonadotropin-Stimulated Progesterone Production by Luteal Cells Isolated from Rhesus Monkeys during the Menstrual Cycle and Pregnancy

To examine the direct effects of prostaglandins (PG) on corpus luteum function in primates, luteal cells isolated from rhesus monkeys were incubated in the presence of PGE 2 or PGF 2α , either alone, or in combination with gonadotropin (hCG) or dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Luteal cells were obtained at Days 16-18 (4-7 days after the preovulatory LH surge; midluteal phase cells) and Days 21-22 (8-10 days after the LH surge; late luteal phase cells) of the menstrual cycle and at 160-166 days of gestation (term pregnancy cells). Under control conditions, luteal cells at these stages produced similar amounts of progesterone in vitro . Progesterone production by cells from midluteal phase of the menstrual cycle was significantly (P