THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF THE PITUITARY GONADOTROPIC HORMONES IN FOLLICULAR DEVELOPMENT AND OVULATION OF THE JUVENILE RABBIT

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Abstract
A study of artificial follicular development in the juvenile rabbit by subcutan. inj. of follicle-stimulating pituitary extracts (F.S.H.) alone and combined with increasing amts. of luteinizing extracts (L.H.), revealed that F.S.H. was the only prep. capable of inducing pure follicular development. The addition of traces of L.H. was sufficient to cause spontaneous ovulation, while larger amts. always resulted in atresia, cystic degeneration and luteinization. Following adequate follicular development by F.S.H. a single intraven. inj. of F.S.H., L.H. or mixtures of the 2 was made to determine the optimum ovulating mixture. F.S.H. plus small amts. of L.H. gave uniform results of 30 to 60 ovulation points, but when high concs, of L.H. were reached ovulation failed. Pregnancy urine extracts could be substituted for L.H. in the ovulating mixture. Pituitary extracts from horse and sheep pituitary powder were found to stimulate follicular development and ovulation as described, but hog pituitary extracts would not cause appreciable ovarian enlargement and only a few ovulation points followed intraven. inj.