PITUITARY SECRETION OF PROLACTIN, LUTEINIZING HORMONE AND FOLLICLESTIMULATING HORMONE IN ADULT FEMALE RATS TREATED NEONATALLY WITH OESTROGEN

1973 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 599-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
HIROSHI NAGASAWA ◽  
REIKO YANAI ◽  
SAKAE KIKUYAMA ◽  
JUNICHI MORI

SUMMARY The serum and pituitary levels of prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were determined by radioimmunoassay in adult female rats treated neonatally with oestrogen and were compared with levels in normal cyclic rats at 90, 150 and/or 180 days of age. The serum level of prolactin was significantly higher and its pituitary content and concentration were lower in oestrogenized rats than in control rats at early prooestrus and on the 2nd day of dioestrus. The level of LH in the serum of oestrogenized rats was similar to the level in control rats at pro-oestrus and was higher than that of the controls at dioestrus. Pituitary levels of LH were lower in oestrogenized rats than in control rats at both pro-oestrus and dioestrus. The serum and pituitary levels of FSH in the oestrogenized rats were intermediate between the values found at dioestrus and at pro-oestrus in the controls. The results demonstrate that the pituitary of the neonatally oestrogenized female rat constantly secretes considerable amounts of these hormones.

1978 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. DYER ◽  
M. B. TER HAAR ◽  
LINDA C. MAYES

A.R.C. Institute of Animal Physiology, Babraham, Cambridge, CB2 4AT (Received 17 January 1978) For over 30 years, the method by which the brain regulates the secretion of gonadotrophic hormones has been studied by electrical stimulation of those parts of the central nervous system thought to be implicated in the control process. Much of the work has been performed on the female rat. In this species, anaesthetic doses of sodium pentobarbitone, administered immediately before the pro-oestrous 'critical period', block the preovulatory surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) for 24 h. The same treatment also reduces the early phase of the pro-oestrous secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH; Daane & Parlow, 1971). Electrical stimulation of the preoptic part of the hypothalamus can overcome this blocking effect and analysis of the optimum parameters required to restore normal secretion of gonadotrophins may give some insight into the endogenous process (e.g. Everett, 1965; Fink & Aiyer, 1974;


1972 ◽  
Vol 50 (8) ◽  
pp. 768-773 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. A. Ibrahim ◽  
B. E. Howland

The concentration of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in serum and pituitary glands was studied in intact female rats and rats that were ovariectomized on day 0 of the experiment and then starved or fed for 2, 4, 7, or 9 days. Ovariectomy resulted in enhanced rates of synthesis and release of FSH and LH as indicated by the significant (P < 0.01) rises in the concentration of both hormones in the pituitary gland and serum.Starvation resulted in a decrease in body and pituitary weight. The concentration of FSH and LH in pituitary glands of starved rats was higher (P < 0.05) than that in fed rats on days 7 and 9. The concentration of FSH and LH in serum of starved rats was increased after ovariectomy but the levels on days 7 and 9 were lower than those of fed rats.These results suggest that the synthesis of FSH and LH was enhanced in both starved and fed rats following ovariectomy while the rate of release of both hormones was decreased at 7 and 9 days of starvation in comparison with rats fed ad libitum.


1971 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 679-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. COLLU ◽  
F. FRASCHINI ◽  
L. MARTINI

SUMMARY Melatonin and 5-methoxytryptophol, the two methoxyindoles of pineal origin, were injected into a lateral ventricle of the brain of immature female rats. Treatment was started on the 25th day of age and terminated when the vagina opened. The injection of both methoxyindoles resulted in a statistically significant delay in vaginal opening. Since previous experiments had shown that melatonin specifically inhibits secretion of luteinizing hormone and that 5-methoxytryptophol specifically blocks release of follicle-stimulating hormone, the present results support the hypothesis that the onset of sexual maturation needs a balanced secretion of both gonadotrophins.


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