Abstract

The metabolic studies on hypophysectomized rats presented in this communication and similar studies on suprarenalectomized rats (1) previously reported were undertaken as part of an extended investigation of the factors concerned in the depression in natural resistance following hypophysectomy (2, 3, 4) and suprarenalectomy (5).

In an attempt to correlate the changes in natural resistance with metabolic disturbances in the animal, induced by such procedures as hypophysectomy and suprarenalectomy, the metabolism was studied in adult rats deprived of these glands. An analysis of the concentration of the chemical constituents of the blood yielded little information except in the terminal phases of either hypophyseal or suprarenal insufficiency. Metabolic studies are of greater value, as disturbances in the metabolism of various constituents are reflected earlier in changes in the retention of such substances than in abnormal variations in their concentration in the blood. The present study is concerned with the changes in the metabolism of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus that follow hypophysectomy in the at rat.

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