Postponed Pituitary Homotransplants into the Region of the Hypophysial Portal Circulation in Hypophysectomized Female Rats

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Abstract
Pituitary homotransplants were made by the parapharyngeal approach in Long-Evans rats after posthypophysectomy periods of approximately 60, 200 and 375 days. The rats were about 40 days of age at hypophysectomy and, during the posthypophysectomy- pretransplantation periods, did not gain in weight or have sex cycles. The donors were Long-Evans males about 15 days old. Most of the recipients were autopsied 75 days after the transplantations were made. Except for a few recipients which showed no effects, 2 types of response occurred. In both types there was a gain in weight and activation of the proximal epiphysial discs of the tibiae. In one type there were regular sex cycles, an almost complete repair of the reproductive organs, adrenal cortices and thyroids, and fertility. Lactation was absent or deficient. In the other type there were no sex cycles and no repair of the reproductive organs or adrenal cortices, but some repair of the thyroids. Measurements showed little or no growth of the transplants. Typical chromophils were present in the transplants of the recipients showing generalized repair. They were absent in most of the transplants of the other type. Controls consisted of pituitaryless rats which received transplants from Sprague-Dawley donors, those which received no transplants, and normal animals.