THE EFFECT OF TESTOSTERONE, THYROXINE, AND CORTISONE ON THE SALIVARY GLANDS OF THE HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED RAT

¹ Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind.

The effect of hypophysectomy upon the histology of the rat salivary glands was studied. Also, the ability of testes, thyroid, and adrenal hormones to prevent hypophysectomy-induced changes was determined.

Hypophysectomy produced an atrophy of the duct system of the submandibular gland and a complete disappearance of secretary granules in the acini of both glands. The simultaneous administration of testosterone and thyroxine was effective in preventing hypophysectomy-induced changes in the parotid gland as well as the submandibular gland. However, cortisone by itself appeared to have no significant effect upon the histology of the salivary glands. When administered with testosterone and thyroxine, cortisone had a slight inhibitory effect upon intralobular duct size in the submandibular gland and the appearance of secretory granules in both parotid and submandibular glands. These results indicate that cortisone is not important in maintaining normal salivary gland histology and may even have an inhibitory effect when administered with testosterone and thyroxine.