Synthesis of Progesterone and Estradiol by Monkey Luteal Cells in Culture: Effects of Insulin, Thyroxine, Cortisol, and Cholesterol With and Without hCG

The objective of the present work was to define further the hormonal factor or factors which participate in the maintenance of primate luteal cells in culture, including both luteotropic and luteolytic processes. Corpora lutea (CL) were obtained from rhesus monkeys during midluteal phase (17-19 days after onset of menses) of the menstrual cycle and were dissociated with collagenase. In the first experiment the basic culture medium (F10 + 10% fetal calf serum) was supplemented by the nongonadotropin hormones insulin (I), thyroxin (T 4 ), and cortisol (C), and/or cholesterol (Ch), in the presence or absence of human chorinoic gonadotropin (hCG). Concentrations of progesterone (P) and estradiol (E 2 ) were determined by radioimmunoassay of unextracted samples. P synthesis by luteal cells in the basic medium progressively declined throughout the 10-day culture period. Although we were unable to stabilize P production under any condition, with the addition of I-T 4 -C and in the presence of hCG, P synthesis was significantly higher (P