HORMONAL INFLUENCES ON THE EXCITABILITY OF THE MUSCULAR PROTOPLASM OF THE RAT’S UTERUS

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Abstract
The spontaneous contractions of the rat''s uterus, and the uterine responses to electrical stimulation were studied with a lever system which recorded simultaneously in an intact uterine horn the respective contractions of the vaginal end, the ovarian end, and the entire organ. The minimal responses to electrical stimulation were not analogous to any spontaneous uterine contractions, but apparently were reactions confined to the muscular elements of the uterus without involving the nervous tissues. The variation with the estrous cycle of the chronaxie of the minimal responses was used to study the effect of various hormones on the excitability of the muscular protoplasm of the rat''s uterus. Estrogenic hormone, APL substance and pitocin increased the excitability to levels comparable to those which occur in spontaneous estrus. Castration, hypophysectomy and adrenalectomy were followed by similar increased uterine excitability which lasted 2 wks. The ovary probably elaborated a factor or hormone which actively decreased excitability at appropriate times in the sex cycle.

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