title: The effect of sex hormones on lipid content and mast cell number in the harderian gland of the female toad, Bufo viridis.
abstract: The Harderian gland of the toad Bufo viridis is a dimorphic gland owing to the presence of lipid droplets in the female glandular cells present only during summer months. Ovariectomy causes the disappearance of sudanophilia and estrogen-treatment completely prevents this change, while testosterone-injection has little effect. Estradiol-treatment also provokes a proliferation of the interstitial connective tissue concomitantly with the mast cell number increase. Our results suggest that estradiol acts, stimulating both mast cell and connective tissue proliferation, and plays a role in determining the expression of the female type of the toad Harderian gland.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisiologia Umana e Funzioni Biologiche Integrate 'F. Bottazzi', Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia Seconda Università di Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minucci
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chieffi Baccari
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Matteo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002025:Bufonidae; D002452:Cell Count / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006243:Harderian Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010052:Ovariectomy; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol