Pituitary and Plasma Levels of Growth Hormone (GH), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) in Hereditary Dwarf Rats (rdw/rdw)

Abstract

Koto et al found a new hereditary dwarf mutation from breeding colony of Wistar-Imamichi rat and named‘rdw’. To characterize endocrinological functions inrdwrats, pituitary and plasma levels of pituitary hormones including growth hormone (GH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were compared betweenrdwand normal rats. The hormone levels were estimated with radioimmunoassay (RIA) . It was found that pititary and plasma levels of GB ofrdwwere drastically decreased and those of FSH and LB were inclined to decrease but not remarkable as compared with normal. Rats ofrdwwere, therefore, considered to be useful as a model animal for endocrinological defects.