Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0277787 (stigma)
 13,352 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The sequence of events within the ovary during the process of ovulation discussed in this review is schematically represented in Fig. 1. It is obvious that LH, perhaps with some contribution from FSH, is the normal physiological trigger for the ovulatory sequence of events, and it appears from the available information that the effects of LH are mainly mediated via adenylate cyclase and increased cAMP levels. The cAMP in turn, via cAMP-dependent protein kinase, influences at least three distinct steps in the ovulatory process which seem to be of crucial importance, namely 1) the stimulation of steroidogenesis; 2) the stimulation of cyclooxygenase/lipooxygenase leading to increased prostaglandin/leukotriene synthesis; and 3) the stimulation of plasminogen activator which catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin. A fourth crucial step in the ovulatory mechanism is the LH-induced increase in latent collagenase, but it remains to be determined if this step is mediated via cAMP. Concomitant with the increase in latent collagenase, there also appears to be an LH-dependent increase in collagenase inhibitors. The latent collagenase is then activated, and it appears that leukotrienes and prostaglandins, as well as plasmin, may be involved in this process. The active collagenase causes a digestion of the collagen in the follicle wall, and plasmin, as well as possibly other proteolytic enzymes such as proteoglycanases, may cause a further dissociation of the follicular wall. These processes of digestion of collagen and dissociation of the collagen fibers result in an opening in the follicular wall with the formation of the stigma and rupture. While the weakening of the follicular wall takes place throughout the entire wall, rupture remains for the most part a localized process at the apex of the follicle. This localization of the rupture may be explained on the basis of mechanical factors operating when the follicle wall thins and weakens. While it is clear that prostaglandins and leukotrienes can influence smooth muscle by causing contractions and that these compounds can cause vascular changes such as increased permeability, vasodilation, and vasoconstriction, it is not clear what the exact role of these latter processes are in ovulation. It appears that progesterone and not estrogen play an important role in the mechanism of LH-induced follicular rupture, but the locus of action of progesterone and its mechanism of action remains to be determined.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Mechanism of mammalian ovulation. 255 97

The sequence of ovarian events during the process of ovulation discussed in this review is schematically represented in Figure 1. It is obvious that LH, perhaps with some contribution from FSH, is the normal physiological trigger for the ovulatory sequence of events and it appears from the available information that LH's effects are mainly mediated via adenylate cyclase and increased cAMP. The cAMP in turn, via cAMP-dependent protein kinase, influences at least three distinct steps in the ovulatory process which seem to be of crucial importance, namely 1) the stimulation of steroidogenesis; 2) the stimulation of cyclooxygenase/lipooxygenase leading to increased prostaglandin/leukotriene synthesis; and 3) the stimulation of plasminogen activator which catalyzes the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin. A fourth crucial step in the ovulatory mechanism is the LH-induced increase in latent collagenase, but it remains to be determined if this step is mediated via cAMP. Concomitant with the increase in latent collagenase, there also appears to be an LH-dependent increase in collagenase inhibitors. The latent collagenase is then activated and it appears that leukotrienes and prostaglandins as well as plasmin may be involved in this process. The active collagenase causes a digestion of the collagen in the follicle wall. Plasmin as well as possibly other proteolytic enzymes such as proteoglycanases (Too et al., 1984) may cause a further dissociation of the follicular wall. These processes of digestion of collagen and dissociation of the collagen fibers result in an opening in the follicular wall with the formation of the stigma and rupture. While the weakening of the follicular wall takes place throughout the entire wall, rupture remains for the most part a localized process at the apex of the follicle. This localization of the rupture may be explained on the basis of mechanical factors operating when the follicle wall thins and weakens (Rodbard, 1984). While it is clear that prostaglandins and leukotrienes can influence smooth muscle by causing contractions and that these compounds can cause vascular changes such as increased permeability, vasodilatation and vasoconstriction, it is not clear what the exact role of these latter processes are in ovulation. It appears that progesterone and not estrogen play an important role in the mechanism of LH induced follicular rupture, but the locus of action of progesterone and its mechanism of action remains to be determined.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Mechanism of mammalian ovulation. 265 83

The localization and changes of fibrinolytic activity during the process of ovulation were investigated by the fibrin slide method. In regular estrous cycle rats, fibrinolytic activity first appeared in the external area of the follicle wall (stigma) at 12 hr before ovulation. No activity was noted in the follicular cavity at this time. A peak of activity was seen at 2 hr before ovulation. After ovulation, the activity decreased markedly. The activity was completely inhibited on fibrin slides to which 10(-2) M trans-aminomethyl-cyclohexane carboxylic acid had been added. No activity was observed on plasminogen-free fibrin slides. These results suggest that fibrinolytic activity is one of the important factors involved in the rupture of the mature follicle wall, and that the fibrinolytic activity is due to plasminogen activator activity.
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PMID:Localization of fibrinolytic activity in ovulation of the rat follicle as determined by the fibrin slide method. 668 70