Bursectomy and In Vitro Response of Adrenal Gland to Adrenocorticotropic Hormone and Testis to Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Immature Male Chickens

This investigation was carried out to determine the effects of bursectomy on in vitro response of adrenal glands to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and testes to human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in immature male chickens. One-day-old Single Comb White Leghorn male chicks were surgically bursectomized (BSX). Sham-operated (sham) chicks were used as controls. At 5 wk of age, adrenal cortical cells (ACC) from BSX and sham birds were incubated in vitro with various concentrations (0, 10(-7), 10(-6), and 10(-5) M) of ACTH for 2 h, and then corticosterone was measured in all supernatants. At 15 wk of age, Leydig cells from testes of both groups were incubated in vitro with HCG (3,000 IU/mL) for 3 h, and then testosterone was measured in all supernatants. Corticosterone concentrations in response to both 10(-6) and 10(-5) ACTH were significantly lower for BSX than for sham ACC. Leydig cells from sham birds produced significantly more testosterone than those of BSX birds whether or not the cells were stimulated with HCG. Furthermore, Leydig cells from sham birds, but not from BSX birds, produced significantly more testosterone when stimulated with HCG than when saline was added. These results indicated that the bursa of Fabricius or its products might have a stimulatory effect on the response of ACC and Leydig cells to ACTH and HCG, respectively.