Dynamic pituitary and ovarian changes occurring during the anestrus to estrus transition in the golden hamster

Anestrous hamsters exhibit daily afternoon gonadotropin and progesterone surges, but little estrogen secretion. In the first experiment, short day anestrous females were transferred to long days to detect hormonal changes associated with recovery of cyclicity. Morning and afternoon blood samples were taken at increasing durations in long days. Females autopsied at their first vaginal estrus after transfer to long days differed from long day estrous controls only in their lower uterine weights. Some females at all durations exhibited signs of recovery, though they had not yet shown estrus. They did not display afternoon gonadotropin surges and had low circulating progesterone but high estradiol levels, stimulated uteri, and enhanced follicular development. Results of the second and third experiments provided evidence that the daily gonadotropin surges are not the cause per se of anestrus, and that changes in estrogen secretion are essential for the transition to and from anestrus. Phenobarbital blockade of the daily surges in anestrous females did not result in increased follicular growth and estrogen secretion. Furthermore, daily afternoon injections of gonadotropins it appears that the daily surges in anestrous hamsters simply reflect low estradiol levels. It is still not known what signal promotes rapid follicular maturation during the recovery from anestrus. Once initiated, however, this recovery appears to occur within a few days, with a rapid cascade of events. First, follicular development and estrogen secretion resume, and the daily LH surges cease. Then, progesterone levels decline, and an ovulatory surge of gonadotropins is triggered.