FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SURVIVAL OF OVARIAN HOMOGRAFTS IN RATS

Abstract

SUMMARY A study of the behaviour of ovarian homografts in the rat has confirmed the view that both genetic diversity and spaying may influence the chances that a graft will survive for a given length of time (21 days). The injection of pregnant mares' serum (PMS) into mock-operated animals is as effective as ovariectomy in promoting the survival of grafts; and the injection of oestrogen into spayed animals does not hinder and may actually improve the chances that a graft will survive. Cortisone is also effective in promoting the survival of ovarian grafts. It is suggested that the reaction to ovarian homografts is not qualitatively different from that to other tissues, but that its rate of progress may be modified by the response of the pituitary and adrenals to the grafting of another endocrine tissue.