Stimulation of the Uropygial Gland in the Female Indian Spotted Munia, Uroloncha punctulata(L.), Due to Œstrogen Treatment

Abstract

Hooker and Pfeiffer¹ observed an atrophy of the uropygial gland in rats after œstrogen treatment. This atrophy was prevented by androgen therapy. Bullough² reported stimulation of this gland in the mouse due to the administration of œstrogen, and further noted that prolonged œstrogenic treatment caused a depression of this gland. However, Kar³ observed that the αstrogen failed to elicit any response in the uropygial gland of White Leghorn cockerels. This hormonal ineffectiveness was explained by the assumption that the female sex hormone failed to influence this sebaceous type of gland in the cockerels with functioning testes. The present report has been concerned with an attempt to test the validity of this assumption with female birds as the experimental material.