Influence of Hypophysis and Adrenal Cortex upon Tissue Mast Cell of the Rat

Abstract

Mast cell counts were made on skin and mesenteries of rats subjected to adrenalectomy, hypophysectomy, and treatment with ACTH, cortisone, desoxycorticosterone acetate, adrenal cortical extract, and X-irradiation. None of the treatments influenced the total number of mast cells. Adrenalectomy was without influence upon either number of abnormal (vacuolation and conglomeration of cytoplasmic granules) mast cells or response of mast cells to X-irradiation. Hypophysectomy was followed by a transient increase in the number of abnormal mast cells in the skin but not in the mesentery. Hypophysectomy did not alter the response of mast cells to X-irradiation. Cortisone in small dosages increased the number of abnormal cells in the skin of the intact rat. Small amounts of ACTH elicited increases in abnormal cells in the skin of the intact, adrenalectomized, and hypophysectomized rat. Neither ACTH nor cortisone altered the number of abnormal cells in the mesentery.