Response of Preputial and Adrenal Glands of the Rat to Sex Hormones.

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Abstract
Estrogen admn. for 40 days induces adrenal hypertrophy and preputial gland atrophy. Ascorbic acid content of these glands appears to be a reflection of wt. changes. Androgen admn. produced a slight but significant increase in adrenal wt. and a 2-fold increase in preputial gland wt. The preputial gland response was seen in hypophysectomized animals. In contrast, no direct action of androgen on the wt. of the adrenal glands of hypophysectomized rats was observed. It was found that androgen admn. reduces the resting level of ascorbic acid in the adrenal and preputial glands of both intact and hypophysectomized rats. Furthermore, androgen interferes with the responsiveness of the preputial glands to the ascorbic acid-depleting action of a single injn. of ACTH.