ADRENAL FUNCTIONS IN THE OPOSSUM1

Abstract

All but 1 of 13 [female] opossums survived adrenalectomy more than 1 mo. Plasma Na was rarely below normal. Occasionally a high level was reached. Plasma K and blood sugar levels remained normal. The adrenalectomized opossum is likely to survive for wks. or mos. with little or no sign of insufficiency if not subjected to stress. This would indicate that the adrenal of the opossum is not so important in the body economy as it is in that of other mammals.