POSSIBLE PRIMING EFFECT OF LUTEINIZING-HORMONE RELEASING HORMONE ON THE ANTERIOR-PITUITARY GLAND IN THE JAPANESE QUAIL AND THE STIMULATION OF SECRETION OF FOLLICLE-STIMULATING-HORMONE

After the i.m. injection of 10 .mu.g synthetic LH [luteinizing hormone] releasing hormone (LH-RH) into Japanese quail, the levels of LH and FSH [follicle stimulating hormone] in plasma rose significantly within 2 min. The increased level of LH declined rapidly but that of FSH was maintained for the duration of the experiment. To determine whether the anterior pituitary gland is primed by LH-RH, a double injection schedule was adopted. While endogenous LH-RH may prime the avian pituitary gland slightly, synthetic LH-RH is ineffective.