PROMOTION OF GROWTH OF PREPUTIAL GLANDS BY STEROIDS AND THE PITUITARY GROWTH HORMONE1

Abstract
Excision of the gonads of young rats causes a slight decrease in size of the preputial glands, which is unmodified by the additional removal of the adrenals. Hypophysectomy results in a profound decrease of size of preputial glands. An important synergism of growth of the preputial glands occurs when testosterone and pituitary growth hormone of bovine origin are given together. The preputial glands are highly responsive to steroids which induce androgenic effects in animals but not to steroids of the phenolic estrogen type. This response of the preputial glands is useful in the biological assay of steroids in the female hypophysectomized rat.