This paper reports the time course of development of the intramitochondrial cholesterol side-chain-cleavage activity, cytoplasmic NADP+-dependent isocitric dehydrogenase, malic enzyme and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase during ovarian maturation, using as a model the immature rat ovary stimulated to develop with pharmacological doses of gonadotrophin. These enzymic activities were correlated with increases in ovarian content of DNA, cellular content of adenosin 3':5'-monophosphate, and the levels of plasma progesterone. The plasma progesterone concentrations followed closely the development of the [4-14C]cholesterol side-chain-cleavage which was mimicked by the cytoplasmic isocitric dehydrogenase; both enzymes increased in activity 28 times during the 6 days of this study. There was no correlation between adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate levels and cholesterol side-chain cleavage or progesterone plasma concentrations.