Hypophysial trophic hormone response to adrenalectomy and ether stress in rats bearing anterior pituitary tissue in third ventricle of the brain.

Inhibitory effect of anterior pituitary tissue implanted into the brain on trophic hormone secretion was studied under resting conditions and after adrenalectomy or ether stress. The weight of pituitary gland in rats bearing anterior pituitary graft in the third ventricle was decreased and the body weight gain was retarded. The levels of ACTH, PRL and GH, but not those of FSH and LH in plasma were significantly lower as compared with all control groups. There was a pituitary ACTH, PRL and GH response to adrenalectomy and ether stress in these rats. Besides supporting literary data on the inhibitory effect of additional pituitary grafts on the adenohypophysis, these findings indicate that pituitary implants did not cause any appreciable alteration of pituitary responsiveness, at least to adrenalectomy or ether stress.