Abstract
Although much is known about the morphological changes that take place in various tissues and organs due to the influence of the different sex hormones, little is known about true physiological effects, and still less about the actual biochemical action of the active substances. Hence an investigation has been undertaken to locate the mode and place of action in a physiological system of one of the female sex hormones, estradiol.
One of the physiological effects of estrogen, and one that lends itself to biochemical analysis, is the increase in oxygen consumption of the uterus. There have been several investigations of the respiration of mouse and rat uteri, 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 and all of these agree that estrogen increases the oxygen consumption. Kerly, 4 and Büngler and Erhardt 2 showed that the anaerobic glycolysis of uterine tissue is increased by injection of estrogen, and the latter authors also found an increase in the aerobic glycolysis.
The technics used in the present study differ in several respects from those of previous studies. First, a pure estrogen was used. This was estradiol dipropionate, 50 μg of which is sufficient to produce a continuous estrous effect for at least a month. 6 Second, effects of a continuous treatment with estrogen were determined. Third, measurements were made on separate strips of endometrium and muscle. Fourth, dry weights were determined on other uterine tissue treated in the same way as that used for the respiration measurements. Summerson manometers were employed for the determination of oxygen consumption, aerobic glycolysis, and R. Q.
The changes in the oxygen consumption of uterine tissue with time after injection of estradiol dipropionate follow a peculiar curve.
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