CORRELATIVE HISTOCHEMICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL-STUDIES ON ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY DURING OVULATION IN THE RAT

A correlative histochemical and biochemical study has been made of the changes in acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-positive sites during ovulatio n induced in immature female albino rats with exogenous gonadotrophins . Acetylcholinesterase is the marker for cholinergic innervation. In h istochemical observations, AChE+ve sites were localized in typical per ivascular position and the intensity and number of enzyme-positive sit es around the Graafian follicle gradually increased during follicular maturation and ovulation but stromal AChE-activity did not show any ap preciable change. Biochemical estimation of the enzyme supports these observations. The electronmicroscopic and histological observations of the structural changes in nerves accompanying ovulation have also bee n enumerated and the role of cholinergic nerves in neuromuscular contr ol of ovulation is discussed.