Prostatic Type of Paraurethral Glands Induced in Female Rats by Administration of Male Sex Hormone.∗

Summary

1. Skene's ducts in the female rat are usually rudimentary. Male hormone substance stimulates growth of these glands to a condition which resembles grossly and histologically the prostate of the male rat. 2. In the present series the incidence of these glands in 35 normal animals is 9.4%, in 13 oestrone-injected animals 0%, in 48 male hormone-injected animals 58.3%. 3. The state of Skene's ducts may be utilized as an indicator of the presence of male hormone. 4. In view of the growth response to male but not to female hormones, the occasional finding of Skene's ducts in an uninjected female rat suggests the presence of male hormone in the normal female. 5. The growth response of the female prostatic glands to the male hormone is further evidence of the masculinizing effect of male hormone substance of the female animal.