THE EFFECTS OF HYPOPHYSECTOMY AND TESTOSTERONE ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE SEBACEOUS GLANDS OF CASTRATED RATS

SUMMARY Adult male rats which had been castrated prepuberally secreted less sebum than intact rats. When hypophysectomy followed castration there was a further decrease in sebum secretion. Treatment of the castrated and hypophysectomized castrated rats with testosterone propionate produced a large and comparable increase in the sebum secretion of both groups. Testosterone propionate also caused a marked increase in the preputial gland weight of the castrated rats, although a much smaller response occurred after hypophysectomy. The effect of hypophysectomy on the response of the sebaceous and preputial glands to testosterone is discussed.