EVIDENCE OF HYPERFUNCTION OF THE ANTERIOR PITUITARY IN A STRAIN OF RATS¹

Abstract

A N ANALYSIS of the factors possibly responsible for the low glucose toler′ JLJL ance of the Yale strain of Mus norvegicus albinus as compared with that of the Wistar strain early directed the attention of the authors to the r6le of the anterior pituitary (i). The striking difference between the growth rates of the two strains maintained on the same diet and under the same con′ ditions associated with a higher fasting blood sugar in the more rapidly grow′ing Yale strain suggested a comparison of the two strains on the basis of other phenomena associated with a hyperactivity or unbalanced activity of the pars anterior. In the present communication the two strains have been compared using as the criteria: (a) epinephrine tolerance, (b) insulin toler′ance, (c) water balance, (d) sterility, (e) growth and (f) body fat.