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Adrenal Cortical Hormone and Pigmentation

Abstract

THE association between the adrenal glands and pathological pigmentation is well established, and it has been suggested that these glands may also control the physiological process1,2,3. The influence of sodium chloride on melanin formation in vitro has been demonstrated4, and it follows that if physiological pigmentation is controlled by this mechanism, then deeply pigmented animals should have a low chloride concentration. To confirm this the concentration of chloride in the blood of agouti and black mice has been investigated, using a cross between the CBA (Strong) and C57 (Little) strains which segregates for these colours.

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References

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LEA, A. Adrenal Cortical Hormone and Pigmentation. Nature 158, 556 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1038/158556a0

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