Summary: The protein expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a cAMP-activated Cl- channel, in ovarian stimulated premature female rat ovary during a cycle of follicle development and corpus luteum formation was investigated. Animals were injected with 10 U pregnant Mares serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and subsequently 10U hCG 48h later. Time-dependent immunohistochemistry and Western blotting experiments were performed before and 24, 48, 72h after hCG treatment. The immnnohistochemistry revealed that administration of PMSG stimulated the CFTR expression in theeal cell layer and granulosa cell layer of mature follicles 48 h post injection, coincident with the PMSG-induced peak in follicular estradiol. However, the expression of CFTR in the granuiose lutein cell layer and theeal lutein cell layer was time-dependently reduced following hCG injection, in accordance with the gradually increased progestogen level during luteum corpus formation. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that rat ovarian tissue expressed the special CFTR band at 170kD. It is concluded that cAMP-dependent Cl- channels are involved in regulation of follicle development and luteum formation.