The effects of sex hormones on the succinoxidase activity of the adrenal gland of the rat.

Abstract

IT HAS been reported previously (1) that the succinoxidase activity of the adrenal glands of adult male rats is approximately 80% higher than that of female animals of the same age. We have suggested that this sex difference is dependent on gonadal secretions because it was considerably smaller in sexually immature animals. The experiments reported here were performed to elucidate further the nature of this sex difference. They are concerned with the effects of gonadectomy and of administration of sex hormones on the succinoxidase activity of the adrenal glands of adult rats of both sexes. The oxygen uptake of adrenal gland slices of male and female rats has also been measured, in order to see whether the difference observed in homogenates reflected a difference in the metabolic behaviour of the intact organized tissue. Succinoxidase activity of the adrenal gland. The experiments were performed in male and female rats of the Wistar strain bred in the Department of Physiology.