Effect of Gonadectomy and Sex Hormones on the Structure of the Rat Salivary Glands

Abstract

A relationship between the sex hormones and the histologic structure of the submaxillary salivary gland of the rat has been demonstrated. Gonadectomized males and females showed a decrease in the size and number of granular secretory tubules of this gland. Testosterone given males caused an increase in the size and number of tubules while diethylstilbestrol produced changes similar to gonadectomy. Functional activity, measured by the presence of secretory granules, could be correlated with caries incidence in males but this was not pronounced in the females.