Blood Cells and Chemistry of Young Chickens During Daily ACTH and Cortisol Administration

ADRENAL cortical extracts (ACE) and glucocorticoids, as well as ACTH (adrenocorticotropin), increase acid-ophilic granulocytes and cause relative lymphopenia and heterophilia in chickens (Shapiro and Schechtman, 1949; Newcomer, 1957; Wolford and Ringer, 1962). However, where Shapiro and Schechtman (1949) found that ACE caused leucopenia, others have found that ACTH and cortisone acetate produced significant leucocytosis (Newcomer, 1957; Glick, 1961). Glucocorticoids and ACTH also significantly increase the levels of cholesterol and corticosterone in the plasma of fowl (Stamler, 1952; Siegel and Siegel, 1966). Adrenal steroids produce a hypercalcemia in chickens (Urist and Deutsch, 1960), and osteoperosis, as found in mammals (Storey, 1961) was demonstrated in laying hens injected with cortisone. Cortisone acetate also inhibits chondrogenesis in the long bones of cockerels (Hublé, 1957). Although ACTH has been shown to lower serum calcium in rabbits (Natelson et al., 1965), its effect on the blood calcium of avian species is not clear. Previous work . . .