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Control by Progesterone of the Concentration of Lipid Droplets in Epithelial Cells of the Sheep Endometrium

U. S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

Abstract

The concentration of lipid droplets was determined histochemically in the epithelial cells of the sheep uterus during the estrous cycle and after ovariectomy and hormone treatment. Lipid droplet concentrations were lowest on days 4 to 6 of the cycle and increased to a maximum by day 10. They remained at a high level until after estrus, when they gradually declined to their lowest level on days 4 to 6.

Lipid droplets appeared in the epithelial cells as the corpus luteum developed, and the injection of progesterone into ovariectomized ewes increased the lipid content of epithelial cells to a level comparable to that of luteal phase cycling ewes. Progesterone appears to control the formation of lipid droplets. The administration of estradiol to ewes immediately following ovariectomy on day 5 decreased the concentration of lipid droplets (P<.01).

¹ Animal Physiology and Genetics Institute, A.R.S., Agricultural Research Center. The authors express appreciation to M. V. Clark, Pamela Lloyd and Nancy Faulkner for technical assistance.