Effects of estradiol and testosterone on the immature female chicken ( Gallus domesticus)—I. Quantitative changes in nucleic acids, proteins and lipids in the liver

Abstract

1. 1. The effect of estradiol (E) and testosterone (T) on the liver of 11-week-old pullets ( Gallus domesticus) was studied following periodic injections of E, T or a combination of E and T. 2. 2. E, in contrast to T, induced considerable growth of the liver by stimulating both hyperplasia (increase in the total amount of DNA) and cellular hypertrophy (increase in dry matter/DNA ratio). Total amounts of RNA, protein and lipids in the liver as well as the ratios of RNA/DNA, protein/DNA and lipids/DNA were all increased in comparison with the controls. 3. 3. A combination of E and T, as compared with E singly, further increased cellular hypertrophy. The dry matter growth of the liver was primarily associated with an increase in lipid concentration. 4. 4. Histological and histochemical studies indicated that the increased lipids, induced by E or E plus T, occurred in the cytoplasm of the liver cells.