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Here we investigated the expressions of apoptosis-associated genes known to induce programmed cell death through mRNA expressions of two matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that are involved in the degradation of collagen and basal membrane in luteal cells cultured in the treatment media. Our results show that the activity of MMP-2 gelatinase was higher in the CL2 and CL1 of luteal phase, was gradually decreased in the CH2 and CH3 of luteal phase. In particular, the expressions of P4-r and survival-associated genes (IGFr, PI3K, AKT, and mTOR) were strongly induced during CL3 stage, whereas the levels of these genes in CL were lower during CL2 and CL1 stages. And in the cultured lutein cell analyzed result, we found that as MMPs increase, genes related to apoptosis ( 20α-HSD and Casp-3) also increase. In other words, the results for P4-r and survival-related gene expression patterns in the luteal cells were contrary to the MMPs activation results. These results indicate that active MMPs are differentially expressed to induce the expression of genes associated with programmed cell death from the degrading luteal cells. Therefore, our results suggest that the MMPs activation may lead to luteal cell development or death.