The effects of bilateral adrenalectomy or hypophysectomy of the foetal lamb in utero

Abstract

1. Foetal hypophysectomy or bilateral adrenalectomy, carried out in utero at about 100 or 125 days gestation respectively, increased the length of gestation in sheep. It was confirmed that pregnancy was not prolonged significantly if hypophysectomy or adrenalectomy was carried out on one of a pair of twins. The hypophysectomized foetus was, however, smaller and the adrenalectomized foetus larger, than the unoperated twin. 2. In about half of the previously operated foetuses intravascular catheters were inserted into both mother and foetus, either at about 125 days, for a comparison with normal catheterized foetuses, or during the post-mature period. Both adrenalectomized and hypophysectomized foetuses appeared to have little resistance to stress or infection and the majority survived only 1-2 weeks after the insertion of catheters. 3. Maternal peripheral plasma oestrogen, progesterone and corticosteroid concentrations did not appear to be altered by either foetal hypophysectomy or adrenalectomy and were maintained in the normal range during prolonged gestation. 4. Foetal plasma oestrogen concentrations were significantly lower after hypophysectomy or adrenalectomy than values found in control lambs. Plasma progesterone values were low in all three groups of foetuses. 5. Plasma corticosteroid concentrations after foetal hypophysectomy (12-6 ng/ml.) or adrenalectomy (14-7 ng/ml.) were in the same range as the values for control lambs before the pre-partum rise (14-6 ng/ml.). However, there was a small but significant maternal-to-foetal plasma corticosteroid gradient in the two operated groups whereas this difference was not found in the control animals. 6. Tissue glycogen concentrations were measured in non-catheterized adrenalectomized and hypophysectomized foetuses. In these two groups, whether examined before 149 days or after prolonged gestation, liver glycogen concentrations were 30-40% of those in non-catheterized control foetuses at term. In other respects there was little apparent difference between adrenalectomized and control foetuses. 7. Hypophysectomized foetuses had significantly higher glycogen concentrations in heart, skeletal muscle and lung compared with control or adrenalectomized lambs. Plasma glucose and fructose values were also low in this group compared with control foetuses.