ABSTRACT
Electrical stimulation of the median eminence, using parameters known to cause the release of LH in normal male mice, failed to elicit any gonadotrophin response in nypogonadal (hpg) male mice. Administration of 40 ng synthetic LH releasing hormone (LH-RH) resulted in release of LH from the pituitary gland of hpg mice, although the response was significantly lower than that of normal mice. These results were consistent with the hypothesis that the hypogonadal state of the hpg mouse results from a functional basence of LH-RH in the hypothalamus rather than from a lack of response of the pituitary gland to the releasing hormone.
Subject(s)
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/pharmacology , Hypogonadism/physiopathology , Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/physiopathology , Luteinizing Hormone/metabolism , Median Eminence/physiopathology , Animals , Electric Stimulation , Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/analysis , Gonadotropins, Pituitary/analysis , Hypogonadism/metabolism , Hypothalamus/analysis , Luteinizing Hormone/blood , Male , Mice , Mice, Mutant Strains , Pituitary Gland/analysis , Pituitary Gland/metabolism , Stimulation, ChemicalABSTRACT
Testes from hypogonadal (hpg) mice transplanted under the tunica albuginea of the testes of normal mice displayed full spermatogenic activity after 84 days. When ovaries of hpg mice were transplanted to the periovarian capsule of ovariectomized normal females ripe follicles and corpora lutea developed. Although small remnants of normal ovary were found after this operation, the fact that 5 out of 11 normal females bearing transplanted ovaries and mating with heterozygous males raised litters containing hpg mice shows that the ovary of the mutant is capable of producing ova which can be fertilized.
