Endocrine Control of Mammary-Gland Development and Function in the C3H/He Crgl Mouse2

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Abstract
Normal mammary-gland development, including prepubertal and post-pubertal changes and changes occurring during pregnancy and lactation, was described for the C3H/He Crgl female mouse. Hormonal control of the various phases of mammary development was studied in hypophysectomized-ovariectomized and hypophysectomized-ovariectomized-adrenalectomized mice. The effects of exogenous ovarian, adrenocortical, and adenohypophysial hormones, administered singly and in various combinations, were observed. Ductal development comparable to that seen in prepubertal and early postpuberal females was induced by a combination of β-estradiol (E) plus deoxycorticosterone acetate (DCA) plus cortisol acetate (F) plus bovine growth hormone (STH). Ductal and alveolar development similar to the adult virgin condition was induced by treatment with E plus progesterone (P) plus 100 µg. ovine mammotropic hormone (MH) or STH. Mammary development such as that found in early pregnancy was induced by treatment with E plus P plus DCA plus MH or STH. Mammary development comparable to that seen in the 2nd week of pregnancy was induced by treatment with E plus P plus DCA plus F plus STH or with E plus P plus DCA plus MH plus STH. In animals possessing full lobulo-alveolar development, subsequent treatment with F plus MH plus STH proved to be the most effective lactogenic combination, although some lactogenesis occurred after treatment with F and either protein hormone, alone. DCA was unable to replace the lactogenic activity of F in the above combinations. STH was as effective as MH in the induction of comparable stages of mammary-gland development in the C3H/He Crgl mouse.