Hormonal and Immunologic Interactions Between Thymus and Ovary

摘要: The first indication of a relationship between reproduction and the thymus gland was in 1898 when Calzolari1 reported that castration male rabbits resulted an increase mass gland. This later verified by Chiodi 1940,2 more recently Fitzpatrick et al.3 Greenstein al.,4 who each extended their studies to show effects on could be reversed through injections gonadal steroids. Still later, it shown gonadectomy aged rats mice not only hypertrophy thymus, but also caused partial restoration immune function.5 fundamental importance as regulator reproductive development demonstrated nude mouse neonatally thymectomized mouse. Studies congenitally athymic female (nu/nu) revealed animal had delayed sexual maturation, decreased oocyte follicular growth rates, increased atresia, low circulating concentrations gonadotropins, levels steroids, premature ovarian failure, all which incidence fertility.6–17 Nude given intact were reproductively competent16,17 actual time is most critical determined thymecto- mizing various euthymic strains mice, starting at birth.