Progesterone Synthesis by Luteal Mitochondria in Vitro 1

Abstract

Summary

Mitochondria were prepared from bovine corpora lutea by differential centrifugation and were purified by iso-pycnic zonal centrifugation. A marked increase in specific cytochrome oxidase activity and a marked decrease in specific DNA and RNA content indicate that the procedure resulted in a highly purified preparation of mitochondria. These organelles had a higher rate of conversion of [4-¹⁴C]cholesterol to [4-¹⁴C]progesterone than did mitochondria separated only by differential centrifugation, suggesting that luteal mitochondria contain the enzyme systems required for progesterone synthesis.