Quantitative Enzymic Studies in Individual Pituitary Lobes in Various Endocrine States

Malic dehydrogenase (MDH), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), glucoses-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), β-galactosidase (β-GAL), β-glucuronidase (β-GLR) and β-glucosidase (β-GLU) in anterior, intermediate and posterior lobes of the male rat pituitary in normal, gonadectomized, thyroidectomized, or adrenalectomized animals were measured (10 days postoperatively in operated animals) by sensitive microchemical methods. In normal rats, anterior and intermediate lobe levels of MDH and G6PDH were significantly greater than posterior lobe, and anterior and intermediate lobe LDH were less than in the posterior lobe. Anterior and intermediate β-GAL and β-GLR were richer than posterior lobe, and for β-GLU the anterior was greater than the posterior lobe. Following gonadectomy, MDH rose in anterior and posterior lobe, decreased in intermediate lobe; β-GLR decreased in all lobes, β-GLU increased in all lobes, and β-GAL decreased in anterior lobe. After thyroidectomy, intermediate lobe levels of LDH, G6PDH, β-GAL, β-GLR and ...