EFFECTS OF CERTAIN GONADAL HORMONES ON CONTENT AND COMPOSITION OF LIPIDS IN BLOOD AND LIVER OF IMMATURE MALE CHICKS

1. 1. Experiments were carried out to investigate the changes in the lipid composition of the blood and liver of the male chick (Gallus domesticus) in response to the gonadal hormones, oestrogen, androgen and progesterone. 2. 2. Oestrogen was the only hormone to affect liver weight, liver dry matter percentage or total liver lipid content significantly. However, both oestrogen and androgen significantly influenced liver fatty acid composition. Progesterone had no effect on any of these parameters. 3. 3. The blood lipid and liver fatty acid changes resulting from androgen treatment occurred in the opposite direction to the patterns of change observed with oestrogen treatment, and the influence of androgen on liver fatty acid composition could still be observed to a limited extent when the androgen was administered along with oestrogen. © 1969.