MAMMARY GROWTH IN MALE MICE FED DESICCATED THYROID1

Abstract

THE THYROID GLAND has been considered in relation to several aspects of repro I ductive function. Recently several investigations have been concerned with the effects of the removal of the thyroid or addition of thyroxin, thyroglobulin or desiccated thyroid upon lactation (1, 2). Feeding desiccated thyroid to male rats has been associated with changes in the histological structure of the mammary glands (3). During the course of experiments on the factors concerned in mammary growth in hypophysectomised male mice it became desirable to determine whether or not the concomitant general metabolic deficiency might alter the reactions of the animals. Experiments wereundertaken in which desiccated thyroid was added to the diet. The diet was first testedin unoperated male mice. Unexpectedly, the mammary glands of these unoperated mice showed a marked growth. The mice used in this investigation were hybrid males from 40 to 60 days of age and weighing from 16 to 21,5 gm. Before the mice were selected for this exper...