Receptor regulation and target cell responses: studies in the ovarian luteal cell

Studies of hormone-induced 'desensitization' in the luteinized rat ovary show that changes in receptor number and adenylate cyclase at the cell surface result in an altered biological effect of luteinizing hormone on progesterone production. The sensitivity of these effects to changes in gonadotropin levels suggests that receptor turnover or processing is involved in the normal mechanism of hormone action.