The Nature of the Sexual Dimorphism of the Submandibular Gland of the Mouse1

The weights of the submandibular glands and their water, lipid and nonlipid fractionswere determined in intact, gonadectomized and androgen-treated gonadectomized mice of both sexes. It was found that although the glands are markedly heavier in intact males than in females, the composition of the tissue is the same in both sexes. The loss of weight after gonadectomy is accounted for solely as loss of water in the female, whereas in the male there is loss both of water and dry tissue residue. Treatment with androgen results in the increase in the absolute amount of water and dry tissue residue in both sexes. The present data indicate that the larger size of the glands in intact male and androgentreated mice is due primarily to differential growth of the terminalsecretory ducts.