Cellular composition of utero-ovarian lymph during the exogenous gonadotrophin-stimulated oestrous cycle in sheep

Abstract

Utero-ovarian peripheral lymph was collected for extended periods from sheep that had received exogenous gonadotrophins. High lymph flow rates and progesterone outputs, over 13 mL h-1 and 65 nmol h-1 respectively, were observed during the subsequent oestrous cycles. A positive correlation was found between the maximum lymph flow rate and the number of corpora lutea in the draining ovary. At periods approximating the beginning and end of the luteal phase of the oestrous cycle there were increases in the output of red blood cells and, towards the end of the luteal phase, eosinophils constituted over 10% of the white blood cells in the lymph. Lymph provides a dynamic record of the changing internal environment of the ovary and as such may yield useful information on intraovarian control mechanisms in sheep.