Gonadotropic Hormones of the Hypophysis of the Turkey. ∗

Abstract

Relatively little work has been done in the past on the hypophysis of birds. Benoit 1 obtained evidence for the presence of gonadotropic hormones in hypophyses of sexually active ducks but not in those of inactive ones. Similarly Riddle and Schooley 2 found no effects from implanted hypophyses of pigeons less than 1.8 months old, while those of mature pigeons gave definite indication of the presence of some gonad stimulating principle. Since birds develop no true corpora lutea and differ also otherwise in their physiology of reproduction markedly from mammals, it seemed desirable to make a more complete, qualitative and quantitative analysis of their gonadotropic hormones.

Through the courtesy of Mr. A. C. Gingerich, we were permitted to collect about 6000 hypophyses at the packing plant of the Maplecrest Turkey Farms at Wellman, Iowa. The glands were taken from birds about 6 months old, the hens weighing around 10 and the gobblers around 18 pounds. The fresh glands weigh about 13 mg. and 25 mg. respectively. However, the male glands lose more weight in the process of acetone-drying. One day's collection yielded 6.978 gm. dry powder from 1655 female glands and 9.900 gm. from 2047 male glands.

The dry powder taken up in distilled water was assayed in 4 different tests. Table I gives the results obtained from injections into immature 21 day old rats. The largest dose (100 mg.) produces large ovaries which usually contain about as many corpora lutea as mature follicles. (However, in several cases the corpora were more numerous while in one case they were absent.) In the second group (50 mg.) the increase in ovarian weight is almost entirely due to the presence of many stimulated and mature follicles.