Abstract
A LARGE number of publications have dealt with the influence of the adrenal cortex on the morphology of the thymus. Adrenalectomy has been found to result in an enlargement of the thymus1,2. The administration of various preparations of adrenal cortex (in large amounts) resulted in atrophy of the thymus. This was confirmed with purified cortico-adrenal extract3, cortisone3, dehydrocorticosterone4 and deoxycorticosterone4. The same effect could be obtained with adrenocorticotrophic hormone5. Since the active fraction of the thymus can be obtained in a purified form6 and since a minute quantity of this fraction can be bioassayed7, we thought it of interest to investigate the effects of adrenalectomy on the thymus by these techniques.
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COMSA, J. Effect of Adrenalectomy on the Hormone Content of the Thymus in the Rat. Nature 184, 279 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/184279a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/184279a0
