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The high levels of progesterone circulating in the foeto—placental unit during human pregnancy (Zander, 1965) suggest that the hormone may have some major function there other than as a precursor for steroid biosynthesis. Therefore the intracellular distribution of progesterone in tissues of the human foeto—placental unit was studied to determine if it is preferentially associated with a particular subcellular fraction.

Placental tissue (50 g) was cut from various sites on placentae obtained within 1 h of delivery. Homogenization and cell disruption in 0·25 M-sucrose was carried out with an emulsifier-mixer (Silverson) and a Potter—Elvehjem homogenizer with a loosely fitting Teflon pestle. Differential centrifugation was carried out at 800 g for 10 min, at 10000 g for 10 min and at 105000 g for 60 min. All particulate fractions were washed once. Using methylene blue staining, the crude nuclear fraction (800 g) was estimated to be 10–30% contaminated with unbroken