title: The X zone of the mouse adrenal cortex of the Swiss albino strain.
abstract: The adrenal gland of the Swiss albino strain was investigated with particular reference to the X zone. The degeneration of the X zone in the male occurred concomitant with puberty. The unmated female possessed an X zone which gradually degenerated with age. First pregnancy gave a rapid disappearance of the zone. Gonadectomy preserved the X zone in both sexes, to decline with age. Hypophysectomy produced the classical sequelae, but injecting equine luteinizing hormone preserved the X zone. The X zone and its homologous/analogous representatives in various eutherian species differ from the pattern given in a common laboratory mouse. The difficulties are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration; D005260:Female; D007016:Hypophysectomy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012737:Sex Factors; D013045:Species Specificity