Effect of deuterium oxide on the pituitary gonadotrophs of the brown spiny mouse. Mus platythrix Bennett.

Adult individuals of M. platythrix were maintained on 30 per cent D2O by volume in drinking water at varying periods of time. Qualitative and quantitative changes in pituitary FSH and LH cells were observed. The former revealed hyperplasia and hypertrophy by 10 days attaining their peak of activity and hyalinization by 20 days. In contrast response in the LH cells was rather slow. They showed a significant increase in number after 30 days and hyalinization by 50 days. FSH cells revealed decline in activity by 50 days whereas LH cells attained their peak numerically by 40 days and underwent no change thereafter. These observations suggest that in the adult male D2O reveals: 1. hyperactive influence on the gonadotrophs, and 2. differential in FSH and LH secreting cells.