Hastening Development of Female Genital System by Daily Homoplastic Pituitary Transplants.

Abstract

The success of the writer1, 2 in restoring the atrophied sex apparatus of the hypophysectomized rat by daily homoplastic pituitary transplants, made it seem not unlikely that the transplants might hasten the development of the sex apparatus of the immature unoperated animal. A series of experiments was therefore undertaken in which homoplastic pituitary transplants, taken from full-grown rats of both sexes, were made daily in females which would not normally mature for some time.It was found that this treatment rapidly induced the changes characteristic of sexual maturity, (opening of the vagina, uterine hyperemia and distension, follicle and corpora formation). These changes were secured as early as the weaning date (22nd day of life), the animals weighing approximately 40 grams. The vaginal smear was oestral in type. Structurally the changes indicative of sexual maturity were present in all parts of the genital system.When the transplants were commenced at about the weaning date, sexual maturity was ind...