INFLUENCE OF ANDROGENS AND PITUITARY-HORMONES ON THE STRUCTURAL PROFILE AND SECRETORY ACTIVITY OF THE LACRIMAL GLAND

The present study was designed to examine the influence of androgens o n the size, morphological appearance, and fluid and protein secretory capacity of the lacrimal gland in a variety of species, For comparison , we also sought to determine whether other hormones might stimulate t he growth and secretory ability of this tissue, Lacrimal glands and te ars were obtained from intact, surgically-operated and/or hormone-trea ted rats, mice, guinea pigs and rabbits and the processed for histolog ical and/or image analysis techniques, Our results demonstrated that: 1) androgens modulate the ultrastructural features of rat lacrimal tis sue; 2) androgens may influence the weight, morphological aspects, and secretion of the lacrimal gland, however, these effects are not unifo rm in mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits, but instead are dependent u pon the species and/or the animal's endocrine status; and 3) treatment with testosterone, prolactin, growth hormone, alpha-melanocyte stimul ating hormone, insulin, or thyroxine plus dexamethasone had no impact on the absolute or relative size of the lacrimal gland, or the tear vo lume, of hypophysectomized male rats, Overall, these findings indicate that androgens may regulate the structure and secretion of the lacrim al gland, However, the nature and extent of this hormone action is spe cies-dependent and may be modified by alterations in the endocrine env ironment.