VASCULAR DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE PRIMATE CORPUS LUTEUM

尽管黄体在内分泌活动中起着中心作用 对于植入和维持早期妊娠，我们的 了解调节生长和分化的因素， 灵长类动物的黄体是有限的由于内皮细胞是 黄体内的主要细胞类型（等于或大于50%）， 因为微血管系统对这个系统的正常功能至关重要， 内分泌腺，阐明什么调节增殖， 黄体内皮细胞的分化对于 了解什么控制黄体功能。拟议的研究将 研究黄体内分泌细胞和内皮细胞的相互作用， 血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）及其受体（Flt-1和 KDR）。研究将确定VEGF产生和受体的位点， 表达在排卵期卵泡和黄体组织中， 免疫细胞化学和mRNA分析。 的形式和相对水平 卵泡和黄体组织中VEGF mRNA和蛋白的表达将与卵泡发育和黄体形成密切相关。 通过逆转录酶-聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）测定， 核糖核酸酶（RNase）保护测定和蛋白质印迹分析。 卵巢组织中VEGF受体的类型和mRNA的水平将与卵巢组织中VEGF受体的表达水平密切相关。 通过RT-PCR和RNase保护试验测定。最后，垂体 促性腺激素对颗粒细胞产生VEGF的调节将是 通过体内和体外技术检查。这些研究将提供 关于灵长类动物体内血管生成过程的新的基本信息 黄体可能会带来创新的避孕方法， 终止妊娠。

Despite the central role the corpus luteum plays in endocrine events necessary for implantation and maintenance of early pregnancy, our knowledge of the factors which regulate the growth and differentiation of the primate corpus luteum is limited. Since endothelial cells are the major cell type (equal to or more than 50%) within the corpus luteum and because the microvasculature is critical to normal function of this endocrine gland, elucidating what regulates the proliferation and differentiation of the luteal endothelial cells is critical for understanding what controls luteal function. The proposed studies will investigate the interaction of luteal endocrine and endothelial cells via vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors (Flt-1 and KDR). Studies will identify sites of VEGF production and receptor expression in periovulatory follicles and in luteal tissue via immunocytochemical and mRNA analyses. The forms and relative levels of VEGF mRNA and protein expressed by follicular and luteal tissue will be determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), ribonuclease (RNase) protection assay and western analysis, respectively. The type(s) of VEGF receptors and levels of mRNA in ovarian tissues will be determined by RT-PCR and RNase protection assay. Lastly, pituitary gonadotropin regulation of VEGF production by granulosa cells will be examined by in vivo and in vitro techniques. These studies will provide new, basic information on the angiogenic process within the primate corpus luteum which could lead to innovative methods of contraception and pregnancy termination.