Daily prolactin pulse inhibits the corpus luteum during lactational quiescence in the marsupial, Macropus eugenii

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doi:10.1071/RD11228

Vertebrate Reproductive Science & Technology

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Daily prolactin pulse inhibits the corpus luteum during lactational quiescence in the marsupial, Macropus eugenii

L. A. Hinds ^A ^B ^D and C. H. Tyndale-Biscoe ^A ^C

^A CSIRO Wildlife and Ecology, Lyneham, ACT 2602, Australia.
^B CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
^C Present address: 114 Grayson Street, Hackett, ACT 2602, Australia.
^D Corresponding author. Email: lyn.hinds@csiro.au

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 25(2) 456-461 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/RD11228
Submitted: 7 September 2011 Accepted: 9 April 2012 Published: 24 May 2012





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Abstract

The corpus luteum (CL) of the tammar wallaby is inhibited by prolactin during lactation and seasonal quiescence. In seasonal quiescence a daily transient pulse of prolactin (PRL) of less than 2 h duration is sufficient to maintain inhibition. We investigated whether the same inhibition applies in lactation and, if so, how. Our results show that inhibition of the CL during lactation is maintained by a transient pulse of prolactin once a day. They also show that the minimum time without a PRL pulse for the CL to escape inhibition is more than 48 h and less than 72 h. Nevertheless, some animals had a longer refractory period than 72 h, which was reflected in a longer interval to the progesterone peak and birth. These results support the previous conclusion that PRL exercises its effect on a rate-limiting step in progesterone synthesis and secretion rate from the CL, which precedes any increase in its mass. Therefore, we conclude that the role of PRL is to act as a luteostatic agent, an effect that is in marked contrast to its luteotrophic effect in many eutherian species, including rodents.

Additional keywords: luteal cells, luteostatic, progesterone, refractory, tammar wallaby.

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