THE GONADOTROPIC HORMONES 



Shapiro (1937) attributed the inhibiting or stimulating effects 

 of an extract of sheep pituitary, used chiefly for its lactogenic 

 effects, to contaminating gonadotropic hormone. The author 

 studied the extract's effects on the amphibian testis. 



2, Urodele amphibia. — Adams and Mayo (1936) investi- 

 gated the effects of homo-implants on oviposition in a sala- 

 mander, Triturus viridescens. They were able to produce 

 oviposition in the nonbreeding months stretching from Oc- 

 tober to early March. The effect appeared earlier at 20° 

 than at 14° C. (resembling the observation of Bellerby in 

 X. laevis; Bellerby used beef anterior-lobe extract). The male 

 pituitary was perhaps the more potent; the pituitaries of 

 animals gonadectomized 4-98 days previously were possibly, 

 but not definitely, more potent than normal glands. Klein- 

 schmidt (1937) studied the changes in the male gonads of 

 hypophysectomized larvae of T. vulgaris for many months 

 postoperatively. Although regressive changes in the germi- 

 nal cells of the testis were clearly marked, especially 3-10 

 months after hypophysectomy, yet 20 months postopera- 

 tively islands of healthy cells with spermatogonia, resembling 

 normal testicular tissue of animals four months old, could be 

 found. The Wolffian and Miillerian ducts were both well de- 

 veloped; however, the latter was not joined to the cloaca. 

 Some degenerative changes in the follicle-cells of the testis 

 were found. The fat body was not altered until an age of 

 1 4 months, after which it underwent hypertrophy because of 

 hyperplasia. 



Reptiles. — According to Evans (1935), the gonads of imma- 

 ture young lizards {Anolis carolinensis) of either sex could 

 be stimulated by prolan or by extract of whole sheep pitui- 

 tary. In the male the same effects were produced by either 

 extract: testicular hypertrophy, hypertrophy of the hemi- 

 penis, epididymis, and vas deferens, spermatogenesis, eleva- 

 tion of the dorsal crest, frequent molting, behavior changes, 

 etc. In female animals prolan brought about hypertrophy of 

 the ovary and oviduct as well as more frequent molting and 



[5'] 



