THE PITUITARY BODY 



exist has never been offered. It is more simple and more 

 accurate to consider that prolan is primarily a luteinizing 

 gonadotropic hormone. Its presumed follicle-stimulating ef- 

 fects are seen in animals with intact hypophyses which con- 

 tribute the important, and perhaps the only, share in bring- 

 ing about follicle-stimulating effects. Anterior pituitary se- 

 cretion is of great importance in permitting the recognition 

 of the luteinizing effects of prolan. In hypophysectomized 

 female rats, prolan may cause hypertrophy of the cells of 

 the thecae and interstitium, with which may be associated a 

 persistent oestrus; it does not bring about follicular growth. 



Kuschinsky and Tang (1935) described luteinization of 

 the ovaries of rats receiving large doses (25 rat-units daily) 

 during the second week of life. A deciduoma reaction of 

 the uterus could not be produced. Hohlweg (1936) com- 

 mented on the large doses of prolan required to produce 

 luteinization or corpora lutea in very young or abnormally 

 small immature rats. Probably the important factor is the 

 inability of the pituitary to secrete satisfactory amounts of 

 follicle-stimulating hormone at this age. Ljachowezki and 

 Chwatow (1937) believed that the administration of prolan 

 in small doses (2-5 mouse-units daily) permitted successful 

 transplantation of the ovary or testis, if injections were be- 

 gun immediately after transplantation and continued for 10- 

 12 days. They stated that such transplants could function 

 (apparently judged by the morphology of the transplant) for 

 more than 2 months in animals (mice, rats, guinea pigs, and 

 cats) with their own gonads intact. 



According to Desaive (1935), although repeated injections 

 of prolan (25 rat-units daily) increase markedly the rate of 

 development of primordial follicles, they produce an even 

 greater rate of follicular atresia, which was considered to be 

 the important effect in the rabbit. Moricard (1935) Injected 

 prolan for 2-5 months into rabbits. After about 3 weeks 

 enormous numbers of corpora lutea might be found; later 

 the predominant effect was a pronounced development of 



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