Sex differences in adrenocortical structure and function. XVII. Analysis of adrenal growth rate in maturing male and female rats and hamsters.

The aim of the study was to analyse the rate of adrenal growth of maturing rat and hamster of both sexes in relation to age, body weight and body surface. In the course of postnatal onto-genesis--days 21 to 77 in rats and 21 to 96 in hamsters--all of the estimated relations between body weight and body surface on adrenal size in both sexes of rat and hamster were almost linear. The values of all analysed regression line slopes are higher in female rats when compared to male animals. Male hamsters had higher values of regression line slopes than females. The results of the study suggest higher activity of the adrenal gland in female rat and male hamster when compared with the animals of opposite sex.