THE EFFECT OF ESTRIN ON THE ANTERIOR PITUITARY OF MALE RATS AFTER PITUITARY STALK SECTION

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Large doses of estrin injected into [male] rats act on the ant. pituitary without the mediation or any modifying effect of the pituitary stalk. This is evidenced by the following facts: (1) the ant. pituitary undergoes hypertrophy and shows the same cyto-logical changes in rats which have received estrin whether the stalk be intact or severed; (2) estrin suppresses the secretion of gonadotrophic hormones in stalk-cut and intact [male] rats to an equal extent, as shown by the appearance of a marked atrophy of the testicles and seminal vesicles in both groups. The adrenals hypertrophy equally after estrin treatment in intact and stalk-sectioned animals, indicating that estrin also affects the corticotrophic function of the ant. hypophysis without any mediation or modification of the pituitary stalk. Estrin evidently acts directly on the ant. hypophysis, and this action is a part of the humoral control of the basic secretory rhythm of the gland.