Effects of Adenohypophysectomy on Blood and Adrenal Catecholamines and Corticosterone in Chickens

Six—week old White Leghorn cockerels were adenohypophysectomized and allowed to recover for four weeks. Operated and control birds were then killed and catecholamines and corticosterone were measured in both plasma and adrenal glands. Adenohypophysectomy resulted in decreased mean epinephrine concentrations in both plasma and adrenal glands which were statistically significantly so only in the plasma, however. Mean free corticosterone concentrations in the plasma and adrenals were decreased, but not significantly so; adrenal glucuronide—bound and sulfate—bound corticosterone similarly decreased, but only the decrease in glucuronide—conjugated corticosterone was statistically significant. The indication is that a pituitary factor (probably adrenocorticotropin) is necessary for normal secretion of catecholamines, particularly epinephrine, into the plasma by the avian adrenal gland. (Endocrinology91: 1516, 1972)