SOME ASPECTS OF THE STORAGE AND SECRETION OF CORTICOTROPHIN AND GONADOTROPHINS

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Abstract
Estimates have been made of the amounts of corticotropin and gonadotropins stored and secreted by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland in male and female rats in conditions which favor the increased production of one or both of these hormones. Eight groups of animals were used, the 4 categories for each sex being: (1) normal animals; (2) castrate animals; (3) adrenal-enucleate animals; (4) animals both castrated and adrenal-enucleated. Half of the animals in each group were subjected to cold stress. In castrated females, adrenal-enucleate -females and adrenal-enucleate-castrate. males, the storage of ACTH was diminished when the storage of gonadotropins was high. After cold stress, there was a considerable reduction of stored ACTH and increased secretion of gonadotropins in females but not in males. The results were discussed in the light of Selye''s (1947) suggestion that there can be a shift in pituitary hormone formation in emergencies.