THE EFFECT OF ADRENALECTOMY ON THE ACCESSORY REPRODUCTIVE GLANDS OF MICE CASTRATED FOR SHORT PERIODS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Adrenalectomized mice were maintained on a standard diet with a Na:K ratio of 3.3, or on desoxycorticosterone. This sterol was not appreciably androgenic in mice. In adrenalectomized castrated mice, maintained in fair condition, there was no appreciable impairment of seminal vesicle wts. or of the his-tologic state of the vesicles and prostates, compared with the level of maintainance in castrated controls, 1[long dash]7 wks. after castration. In over half of all castrated individuals allowed to die of adrenal insufficiency, a clear cut histologic regression of the vesicles was observed. The failure to observe any impairment in the accessory reproductive glands of adrenalectomized castrates maintained in fair condition indicates that the mouse adrenal does not secrete physiologically appreciable amts. of androgens during some wks. after castration. Consequently, the vesicle regression in animals found dead is probably not due to the loss of adrenal androgens.