THE EFFECT OF SMALL DOSES OF DIETHYLSTILBESTROL ON THE ANTERIOR HYPOPHYSIS OF THE IMMATURE RAT

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Abstract
The daily inj. of diethylstilbestrol in doses ranging from 0.05-4 ug. for 4 or 7 days into 25 day-old 5 rats caused the following changes in the hypophysis (1) increase in wt. of the gland, (2) increased mitotic activity in the acidophiles with increase in their relative and absolute number, (3) hypertrophy of the Golgi apparatus in the acidophiles (4) de-granulation and reduction in number of the basophiles with no effect on their mitotic activity and (5) reduction in the relative and absolute number of chromophobes with little change in their mitotic activity. Continuation of injs. of 0.5 ug. daily for 14 days resulted in a slight reduction in number of acidophiles, increase in number of chromophobes and an increase in the mitotic activity of both of these cell types. It was concluded that diethylstilbestrol exerts a stimulative action on the acidophiles.