Responses of the immature fowl to a single injection of adrenocorticotrophic hormone

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Abstract
1. Chicks, aged 1 or 21 d, were injected with long‐acting ACTH (6, 12, 30 or 60 IU/kg) and changes in plasma glucose and cholesterol and in adrenal weight and cholesterol measured. 2. No consistent response was observed in the 1‐d‐old chicks. 3. Hyperglycaemia and adrenal cholesterol depletion could be demonstrated in the 3‐week‐old bird at all doses. 4. The duration of the hyperglycaemic response was dose‐dependent but there was only limited evidence that adrenal cholesterol depletion was similarly dependent. 5. Starving the 3‐week‐old bird overnight led to a significant hyper‐cholesteraemia which was reduced after ACTH. In contrast no change in plasma cholesterol concentration was noted in fully fed birds.