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AN ADENOHYPOPHYSIAL EXTRACT INFLUENCING THE OUTPUT OF SEMEN IN RABBITS, GUINEA-PIGS AND MICE

The release of spermatozoa in the frogs, Rana esculenta L. and R. pipiens Schreber, can be induced by injecting an adenohypophysial constituent (Kihlström & Danninge, 1970) which is probably not identical with any known pituitary hormone (E. Lakomaa & S. Renlund, unpublished data). Extracts of the pituitary of frogs (Kihlström & Danninge, 1970), perch, rabbits, cats, cattle (Kihlström, Lakomaa & Hall, 1971), domestic fowls and humans (E. Lakomaa, unpublished observations) have also been shown to possess such activity.

In the present study, the effect of pituitary extract was tested on the output of semen in rabbits, guinea-pigs and mice. Rabbits can easily be trained to ejaculate into an artificial vagina (Kihlström & Melin, 1963; Melin & Kihlström, 1963) while isolated guinea-pigs and mice ejaculate spontaneously without external stimulation, yielding plugs of coagulated semen which can