Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
2001-3-22
pubmed:abstractText
Neonatal thymectomy or congenital absence of the thymus induces severe reproductive deficiencies in female mice, which are associated with reduced levels of circulating and pituitary gonadotropins. In contrast, the reproductive function is well preserved in nude males. It was therefore of interest to assess gonadotrophic cell morphology and function in congenitally athymic male mice. Circulating gonadotropins were measured under basal and stressful conditions, taking as a reference their haired counterparts. Adult normal (+/+), heterozygous nude (nu/+), and homozygous (nu/nu) CD-1 mice were subjected to 1-h immobilization stress. Serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were assessed by RIA at 0, 30, and 60 min poststress. Athymic animals showed significantly lower basal levels of serum LH and FSH than their heterozygous littermates. Immunohistochemical assessment of LH and FSH cell populations revealed a normal morphology and cell number in the athymic animals compared to their normal littermates. Immobilization stress induced a significant reduction in gonadotrophin levels, particularly LH, in normal mice but had only a weak effect in athymic animals. It is concluded that congenital athymia in the adult male mouse is associated with decreased basal levels of serum LH and FSH, in the presence of a normal gonadotroph number and morphology. The anomalous responses of athymic mice to stress do not appear to be due to primary hypopituitarism but, rather, to an altered modulation of pituitary hormone secretion. .
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Mar
pubmed:issn
0889-1591
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
15
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
85-92
pubmed:dateRevised
2008-11-21
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2001
pubmed:articleTitle
Altered functional responses with preserved morphology of gonadotrophic cells in congenitally athymic mice.
pubmed:affiliation
INIBIOLP, University of La Plata, Argentina. goya@isis.unlp.edu.ar
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't