[Interrelationship between the quality of dietary protein and the function of the adrenal cortex. 3. Reactivity of the adrenal cortex and ACTH content of the pituitary gland of rats fed with proteins of various quality].

Trials were performed investigating the reactivity of the adrenals and the ACTH content of the pituitary gland in rats fed proteins of varying quality. A positive correlation was found to exist between the relative weight of the adrenals and the rate of body weight increases as well as between the weight of the pituitary gland and the rate of body weight gains. In either case this process was found to be primarily dependent on the quality of the dietary protein. It was shown that the quality of the dietary protein did not affect the in vitro reactivity of the adrenal glands. The ACTH content of the pituitary gland( determined on the basis of 100 mg of pituitary tissue) did not change considerably.