STUDIES ON PITUITARY FUNCTIONS*

Abstract

Anterior pituitary extracts injected for 10 days into immature doves or pigeons caused an increase of 1500-2000% in the weight of the testes, characterized by a true growth and differentiation of the tubules. Alkaline anterior lobe extract also caused increase in weight of the thyroids and livers; antuitrin, pitocin, luteinizing hormone were ineffective. The effect of the latter on the bird ovary was primarily to inhibit the growth of the ova. The maturity or growth hormone apparently is responsible for crop gland development, and extracts containing it caused such development in squabs.