Effects of Administration of Gonadotropic Hormone on Vitamin A Deficient Rats

To find out whether degeneration of secondary sex organs in vit. A deficient male rats is due to the inability of the testes to produce androgens or to a decrease in the activity of the pituitary, gonadotropic hormone was administered to vit. A deficient animals and to their controls and the effects compared with control conditions. 2. The weight response of “target organs,” e.g. kidneys and seminal vesicles was found to be essentially normal in vit. A deficient animals, thus showing that androgens could still be produced by the testes. 3. On the other hand, it was observed that gonadotropic hormone had a definitely injurious effect on vit. A deficient animals, in particular producing a block at the spermatocyte level with consequent arrest of spermatide production.