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Serum Profiles of LH, FSH and Prolactin from 10 Weeks of Age until Puberty in Gilts^1,2,

Iowa State University⁴ , Ames 50011

Abstract

To characterize the secretory patterns of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and prolactin (PRL) during prepubertal development of the gilt, blood samples were collected at 20-min intervals for 4 h once a week from four littermate gilts 10 to 18 wk of age and from another group of four littermate gilts 19 to 25 wk of age. Puberty occurred in the latter group during wk 25. Serum concentrations of LH, FSH and PRL were averaged for each 4-h sampling period within each gilt, and any single value greater than one standard deviation above the mean for that period was identified as a secretory spike. Mean LH was greater at 16 wk of age than during wk 11, 12 and 13, and serum LH levels were higher at 25 than 22 wk of age. Frequency and magnitude of LH spikes were greatest at 16 wk in the group of gilts 10 to 18 wk of age, but magnitude of LH spikes did not change from 19 to 25 wk. The frequency of FSH secretory spikes did not change in gilts from 10 to 25 wk of age. No changes in mean serum concentrations of PRL, frequency of PRL spikes and magnitude of PRL spikes were observed during prepubertal development. Spikes of FSH and PRL occurred with more than random synchrony throughout the study. Spikes of LH and FSH or LH and PRL were highly synchronized during early prepubertal development (10 to 18 wk), but less synchronized in gilts 19 to 25 wk of age.

¹ These studies were supported by Science and Education Administration, ARS, CSRS, Grant 701-15-43 from USDA. Journal Paper J-10528 of the Iowa Agr. and Home Econ. Exp. Sta., Ames, Projects 2228, 2443 and 2444, and Journal Paper No. J-8879 of the Purdue Univ. Agr. Exp. Sta., West Lafayette, IN.

² The authors gratefully acknowledge Dr. G. D. Niswender, Colorado State Univ., for supplying antisera to luteinizing hormone, Dr. L. E. Reichert, Jr., Albany Medical College, for supplying porcine luteinizing hormone, Dr. R. J. Ryan, Mayo Clinic, for supplying radioiodination grade porcine follicle stimulating hormone and Dr. P. V. Malven, Purdue Univ., for supplying antisera to porcine prolactin. The technical assistance of D. Blair, M. E. Shell and C. R. Bohnker is greatly appreciated.

³ Present address: Dept. of Anim. Sci., Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN 47907.

⁴ Dept. of Anim. Sci.