Substrate utilization for estrogen synthesis by human fetal membranes and decidua

Abstract We have investigated the ability of tissue explants of human amnion, chorion, and decidua to produce estrone when incubated alone or in the presence of estrone sulfate, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione, or testosterone. Amnion produced very little estrone from any substrate. Chorion utilized all substrates and decidua utilized estrone sulfate and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate for estrone production. For both chorion and decidua, estrone sulfate was quantitatively the most important substrate. Chorionic tissues obtained after spontaneous labor produced greater levels of estrone than tissues obtained before labor (p