STUDIES ON THE GLYCOPROTEINS OF THE DOMESTIC FOWL: II. THE HEXOSAMINE CONTENT OF CERTAIN TISSUES OF THE SEXUALLY IMMATURE PULLET AND SOME EFFECTS THEREON OF GONADAL HORMONES

The concentration of total hexosamine (as free base) in the dry matter of tissues of the pullet was high in cartilage (8.0 mgm. per gm.) and in oviduct (6.4 mgm. per gm.); medium in comb and wattles, tendon, and lungs (3.0 to 5.5 mgm. per gm.); and low in voluntary muscle (1.5 mgm. per gm.). Dry defatted skin contained 8.3 mgm. per gm. Total serum hexosamine was 52 mgm. per 100 ml. and was increased significantly to about 67 mgm. per 100 ml. by treatment with estradiol benzoate (ODB) and to about 72 mgm. per 100 ml. by ODB plus testosterone propionate (TST). Serum protein was also increased significantly by the hormonal treatments, but to a relatively greater extent. The magnum of the hypertrophied oviducts of pullets treated with ODB was relatively high in dry matter (22.0%), and this dry matter was relatively rich in hexosamine (13.8 mgm. per gm.) and low in hydroxyproline (2.9 mgm. per gm.). The dry matter of the uterus and vagina was relatively low in hexosamine (6.0 mgm. per gm.) and rich in hydroxyproline (5.7 and 10.5 mgm. per gm. for uterus and vagina respectively). Concurrent administration of ODB and TST led to a greater degree of hypertrophy of the oviducts than did administration of ODB alone; both the weight and total hexosamine content of the magnum showed a greater relative increase than did the values for vagina and uterus. Some modifications of the method of determining the hexosamine content of tissues are described.