Abstract
Summary
The RNA and DNA content of mammary glands from pregnant rats treated with HCA was determined. Rats injected with 2 mg of HCA per day for 5 days during midpregnancy exhibited no difference in mammary DNA or RNA from that of mam- mary glands from control rats. Rats treated during late pregnancy also showed no change in DNA, but an increase in cellular RNA content was observed. These results are interpreted as indicating that a preparturient increase in corticosteroid activity may be involved in the normal initiation of lactation, but does not appear to be related to the increase in mammary DNA normally associated with the initiation of lactation.
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