Changes in the Pituitary of Mice on Diets Supplemented with Egg Yolk,with Extracts of Eggs,or with Cholesterol. ∗

Abstract

Summary

The adenopituitaries of mice of the T.M. strain maintained on the Rock-land rat diet supplemented with egg yolk, alcohol extract of egg yolk, ether extract of whole egg, cholesterol and lard, or cholesterol alone have been studied. It was found that in the mice of all the above groups there is a relative decrease in acidophile cells and an increase in basophille cells, as compared with the controls (mice on the Rockland rat diet only). The decrease in acidophile cells is statistically significant for all the experimental groups, while the increase in basophile cells is significant only in the case of the mice receiving egg yolk, cholesterol and lard, or cholesterol alone. In the mice on the diet supplemented with alcohol extract of egg yolk or with ether extract of whole egg the increase in basophile cells is not significant. The changes in the two types of cells are not inversely related and it is thought that they are due to different mechanisms. The decrease in the relative number of acidophile cells is probably caused directly by some of the steroids of the diet. The increase in basophile cells of the adenopituitary, in the case of the mice on the diet supplemented with cholesterol alone, would be due to hypofunction of the gonads, while in the mice of the other groups it is probably influenced by some of the dietary lipids, the nature of which is unknown.