Studies on Connective Tissue of the Cock Comb. II. Effect of Androgens. ∗

Abstract

Summary

It has been found that the increase of the metachromasia in the connective tissue of the comb coincides with the increase of the total hexosamine content during the development of this organ in the normal rooster, as well as during the testosterone treatment of the capon. In both cases, there is an increase in the water content, suggesting that the presence of mucopolysaccharides in this tissue and the high water content are related phenomena. The relative hydroxypro-line values remain essentially unchanged during this reaction, indicating that increase in collagen content is proportional to total increase of the dry substance. The ratio hexosamine:hydroxyproline thus shows an increase in both cases. A similar increase was also found in the wattles and, to a lesser degree, in the earlobes. The wattles show the same structure and reaction as the comb. In the earlobes there is a very slight increase of the metachromasia in the course of hormone treatment which, together with the slight increase in the hexosamine:hydroxyproline ratio, would suggest that the reaction here is also similar, but much less pronounced. During testosterone treatment a transient edema of the subcutaneous tissue has been found, especially in the wattles and earlobes.

The author wishes to thank Dr. G. Smits of the Histological Laboratory, Municipal University of Amsterdam, Netherlands, for his cooperation and advice in the chemical part of this work.