THE PITUITARY BODY 



Krohn (1932), extracts of the stalk and of the wall of the 

 third ventricle may cause dispersion of the erythrosomes in 

 PJioxinus. Lumbar or cisternal cerebrospinal fluid has no 

 effect. 



The effect of extracts of tissues or body fluids on the state 

 of the melanosomes in frog skin has been determined by 

 several methods such as by administration to the intact frog, 

 perfusion of the hind limbs, or immersion of the isolated skin 

 in the extract or body fluid. To what extent the effects ob- 

 served really depend upon the presence of the pituitary hor- 

 mone is not known. Melanosome dispersion has been caused 

 by the following tissues or fluids or extracts of these: hypo- 

 thalamus, cerebrospinal fluid (lumbar fluid is often reported 

 not to have an effect), eye (and aqueous humor), blood, urine, 

 and colostrum.'" 



Efects in mammals attributed to the hormotie{s) causing 

 chromatosome dispersion. — According to Holmquist (1934) and 

 Jores and Beck (1934), the "melanophore-hormone" causes, 

 after repeated administration, a hypertrophy of the adrenal 

 cortex (rat, guinea pig, rabbit) without affecting the amount 

 of either ascorbic acid or epinephrin. Jores (1933) and Jores 

 and Hotop (1934) reported that the instillation of an extract 

 containing the hormone shortened the time required for 

 adapting the eye to darkness. They beheved that the pitui- 

 tary of animals with nocturnal habits contained a higher 

 concentration of the hormone than that of animals with 

 diurnal habits. Jores also reported that the pituitary of the 

 rabbit kept in darkness contained more melanosome-dispers- 

 ing hormone than the pituitary of the rabbit kept in well- 

 lighted surroundings. 



There is no satisfactory evidence that the secretion of the 



'■tHoussay and Ungar (1924); Krogh (1926); Trendelenburg (1926); Ehrhardt 

 (1927); McLean (1928); Karplus and Peczenik (1930); Candela (1932); Dietel 

 (1932); Collin and Drouet (1933); Jores (1933); Jores and Velde (1933); and 

 KonsulofF (1934). 



[3H] 



