We have demonstrated in this study that prolactin inhibits hCG-induced ovulation in PMSG-primed mice. At 18 h after the hormone treatment the number of ova in the oviducts was found to be 31.7 +/- 6.7 (mean +/- SE) in hCG treated group. The number was significantly decreased (19.7 +/- 4.9) when 100 micrograms of prolactin was injected simultaneously. The same effect of PRL on hCG induced ovulation could be also observed at 24 h after the hormone treatment; the values reached respectively to 32.3 +/- 10.8 and 20.3 +/- 5.4. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments further showed that the inhibition of the gonadotropin-induced ovulation by PRL is mediated through decreasing in the ovarian plasminogen activator activity.