Prenatal growth of the adrenal gland in sheep

Authors: Thurley DC
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 20, Issue 10, pp 177-179, Oct 1972
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Endocrine/autocrine/paracrine, Embryo/fetus, Growth/development, Pregnancy, Reproduction, Reproduction - female
Article class: Scientific Article

---

Abstract: Liggins (1969) and Van Rensburg (1967) have shown that, if a sheep foetus is denied the use of its adrenal cortex prior to parturition, the gestation will be prolonged indefinitely. Bassett and Thorburn (1969) have demonstrated that plasma cortisol levels rise in the sheep foetus just before birth, and Liggins (1968) and Halliday and Butler (1968) have caused premature birth by cortisol infusion into the sheep foetus. Comline and Silver ( 1961) have weighed adrenal glands from sheep foetuses and found a sharp increase before birth. It would seem reasonable, therefore, to look for an increase in size of the adrenal cortex prior to birth. For diagnosing the cause of prenatal death in lambs, it would be useful if there were some index of maturity. Any sharp inflexion of growth such as that described by Comline and Silver may be of use in this respect. This paper examines the growth of the adrenal gland from 60 to 150 days gestational age and estimates the proportional growth of the medulla and cortex.

---