THE EFFECT OF THE INTRASPLENIC OVARIAN GRAFT ON PITUITARY GONADOTROPINS*

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Abstract
THE formation in the rat of a luteinized tumor from an ovary transplanted into the spleen at time of castration raises important questions concerning the pituitary-ovarian relationship. Previous investigators have shown that the increase in circulating gonadotropin resulting from gonadectomy is due mainly, if not wholly, to an elevation of FSH (Witschi and Levine 1934, Biddulph et al. 1940, Biddulph and Meyer 1946). The LH component accumulates and is stored in the pituitary gland itself (Lipshutz and Villagran 1936, Hellbaum and Greep 1943, Greep and Hellbaum 1940). Different techniques have been used to demonstrate these clearly denned post-castration changes. Parabiosis experiments provide a measure of the circulating gonadotropins that have been, or are being discharged from the hypophysis whereas bioassay of the gland using immature recipients measures its gonadotropic content at time of autopsy. The possible influence of an intrasplenic ovary on pituitary storage or release of gonadotropins after castration has been studied by both these methods.