EFFECTS OF THYROTROPIC HORMONE, GONADOTROPIC FACTOR, PITUITARY GROWTH SUBSTANCE AND INSULIN UPON THE PHOSPHATASE CONTENT OF RAT FEMURS1

Abstract

IN previous reports it was shown that certain hormonal preparations when injected into albino rats apparently produced changes in the phosphatase content of the femurs (Williams and Watson, 1941) For example, repeated small doses of parathyroid extract caused a temporary increase of the phosphatase of the diaphyses without demonstrable alteration of this enzyme in the epiphyses. Large single doses of the extract caused an increase, followed by a decrease, of the phosphatase of the diaphyses while only a decrease in the epiphyses was noted. The injection of adrenal cortical extract was followed by a reduction of the phosphatase of both the diaphyses and the epiphyses, the effect being more marked in the latter. Desoxycorticosterone acetate exhibited a tendency to raise the phosphatase activity of the bones. The administration of progesterone, testosterone, estradiol, thymus extract and thyroxin was followed by increases of the phosphatase content of the femurs.