MG2-DEPENDENT AND CA2+, MG2+-DEPENDENT ATPASE ACTIVITIES IN THE HARDERIAN-GLAND OF RODENTS - AGE AND SEX INFLUENCES()

Three experiments employing male and female Syrian hamsters (aged 1, 2 , and 8-10 months), male Sprague-Dawley rats (aged 1, 2, and 10 months ) and male C57B1 mice (aged 2, 7, 13, and 29 months) examined the effe cts of age and sex on Mg2+-dependent and Ca2+ Mg2+-dependent ATPase ac tivity in the Harderian gland. Significant differences due to age and sex were observed in the hamsters and rats but not with age in mice. G enerally, male hamsters had significantly higher Mg2+-dependent and Ca 2+, Mg2+-dependent (exception at one timepoint) ATPase activity than d id females. Age-matched male and female rats had similar values of Mg2 + dependent ATPase activity, but males had significantly higher Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent ATPase activity than females at 2 months of age. (C) 19 96 Wiley-Liss, Inc.