Progesterone in Blood

Ghadio S, Xylouri E, Kalogiannis D, et al. (2002) Early pregnancy diagnosis in swine hy direct radioimmunoassay for progesterone in blood spotted on filter paper. Animal Reproduction Science 69 65-72. 

Environmental influences, e.g., the concentration of progesterone in the blood (P8), may affect enzymatic activity. 

Reports of studies with semen analyses have rarely included an evaluation of endocrine status (hormone levels in blood or urine) of exposed males (Adamopoulos et al., 1996 Larsen et al., 1999). Conversely, studies that have examined endocrine status typically do not have data on semen quality (McGregor Mason, 1990,1991 Egeland et al., 1994). Endocrine evaluation gives important information on reproductive organs. Estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, FSH, LH and prolactin are the hormones that are most informative. Inhibins and other more recently characterized factors may provide tools in the future. 

The presence of estrogen and progesterone in the blood inhibit the production of FSH and LH from the pituitary, and the levels of FSH and LH begin to fall. 

Fotherby K, Progesterone IL Clinical aspects. In Gray CH, James VHT, eds. Hormones in blood. 3rd ed. London Academic Press Ltd, 1979 439-91. 

H3. Holzbauer, M., and Newport, H. M., Quantitative estimation of 17 -hydroxy-pregn-4r.ene.3,20.dione (17aOH-progesterone) in adrenal venous blood and adrenal glands. J. Physiol. (London) 198, 91-102 (1968). 

Special techniques have been used for the measurement of individual steroids. For blood progesterone Harbert et al. (H4) obtained an initial separation on an alumina column, but final purification and assay was achieved by further alumina chromatography after preparing the bis-dinitrophenylhydrazone. The method of Short (S16) involving paper chromatography and assay by ultraviolet absorption, with Allen corrections for impurity, has been used by Greig et al. (G5) and Aitken et al. (A3). Cortisol has been measured in urine and blood by fluorimetry and isotope dilution (U3, U4), and in blood by double isotope dilution derivative techniques together with cortisone (H9) and also with cortisone,... 

The high concentration of progesterone in fetal blood may be responsible for the low activity of 3yS-HSD in the fetus and in the infant. Progesterone occupies a key position in the normal chain of steroid synthesis (Fig. 8), and it might be expected from the known effects of increases in product concentration upon the activities of other enzymes that inhibition... 

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