Pituitary‐adrenal interaction and growth of the embryonic avian adrenal gland

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Possible interactions between the anterior pituitary and the adrenal gland in the embryonic chick were investigated. Hypophysectomy by partial decapitation, and treatment of embryos with dexamethasone phosphate (a potent corticosteroid) both significantly reduced the growth of the adrenal gland, indicating a dependence of the adrenal gland on the pituitary for normal growth and the potential for negative feedback between the adrenal and the pituitary.The hyperplasia of the host adrenal gland known to follow injection of homogenates of adrenal glands was inhibited when homogenates were injected into embryos whose ACTH production had been inhibited by dexamethasone. It was concluded that the response of the embryonic adrenal gland to growth stimulating agents was mediated via the anterior pituitary.