Human chorionic gonadotropin dilates uterine and mesenteric resistance arteries in pregnant and nonpregnant rats.

Membrane receptors for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are expressed in a variety of steroidogenic cells, and also in extragonadal tissues such as vessels of the female genital tract. We examined the possible contribution of hCG to the endocrine control of prearteriolar mesenteric and uterine vessels before and during pregnancy. Lumen diameters of isolated pressurized resistance arteries from Sprague-Dawley rats were measured using a video-electronic system.