SEMI-OVARIECTOMY COMPENSATORY HYPERTROPHY OF THE REMAINING OVARY AND MIGRATION OF THE OVA IN THE ALBINO RAT

Abstract

Semi-ovariec-tomy in young rats at the average age of 179 days did not affect normal growth or activity. In sexually immature rats it resulted in a slight delay in the opening of the vagina. There was a compensatory hypertrophy of the remaining ovary to twice or more the normal size. The weight of the ovary increased as gestation advanced, and also varied directly with the number of corpora lutea present. There was no evidence of a migration of the ova from the unoperated to the operated side. All the fetuses were found in the unoperated horn. The number of fetuses was 2-9 (average, 5.25). This was less than the normal average of 6.9 for both ovaries. The average number of corpora lutea was 8.875 (normal, 9.6). But one case of resorption was found in the later days of pregnancy. This indicates that most of the mortality of ova or embryos occurred at a sufficiently early time to allow for a complete eradication of the signs of resorption.