Development of a quotidian increase in pituitary responsiveness to GnRH in prepubertal female rats

Pituitaries from immature male and female rats (5, 13, 21, 27 and 30 days of age) were removed at 08:00 or 16:00 h and stimulated with GnRH in vitro. In female rats more LH was released from pituitaries taken at 16:00 h than at 08:00 h on Days 21, 27 and 30, but not on Days 5 and 13. There were no differences in male rats in responsiveness of pituitaries taken at these two times. The ability of GnRH to induce release of more LH in the late afternoon may help to synchronize hormone output to coincide with first ovulation.