Abstract
Summary
1. The methods of Parker which involve the use of a fluid medium and a high oxygen tension have been applied to the in vitro maintenance of endocrine organs. Best results were obtained with fragments of thyroid, testis, epididymis, Fallopian tube and the anterior lobe of the pituitary of immature and adult guinea pigs and rabbits. 2. Inconsistent results were obtained with ovary. Adrenal tissue and capsule invariably underwent degeneration. 3. Evidences of growth (areas of proliferation and mitotic figures) were observed only in the case of the pituitary. 4. It is concluded that the conditions under which one endocrine organ may be successfully maintained in vitro are not necessarily the same as those required by another.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.