EFFECTS OF TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE ANTERIOR PITUITARIES OF OLD MALE RATS1

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Abstract
23 old [male] rats received daily injns. of 1 or 2 mgs. of testosterone propionate for 3 mos. and were sacrificed at ages ranging from 21-24 mos. The ant. pituitaries were compared with those of 32 control rats killed in the same age range, with those of a 2d group of 24 controls killed in an age range similar to that of the exptl. rats at the beginning of the exptl. period and with those of 52 young rats less than 6 mos. of age. Advancing age in old [female] rats was associated with a pronounced decrease in the level of eosinophiles in the ant. pituitary. Other changes, quite variable in degree and not always present, were a decrease in size of the eosinophiles, degenerative changes involving eosinophiles and the appearance of adenomatous changes. Inj. of [female] sex hormone induced an increase in the levels of eosinophiles, and in many glands a differentiation of new eosinophiles from chromophobes was noted. Adenomatous changes were comparatively rare in the pituitaries of treated rats.