Abstract
Ovariotomized and ovariotomized-hypophysectomized adult female newts, Triturus pyrrhogaster, were given intraperitoneal injections of progesterone. The development of the oviducts was not at all stimulated by progesterone in these animals, the oviducal epithelial cells remained atrophic as in non-injected controls. However, histochemical studies revealed that in a majority of the progesteronetreated animals, the oviducts exhibited a definitely stronger reaction of alkaline phosphatase in the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells than in non-injected operated newts. It seems highly probable that progesterone directly activates alkaline phosphatase in the epithelial cells of the oviducts. The findings were discussed in relation to the effects of progesterone on the ovulation in amphibians.
