
relationships of growth hormone, steroids and relaxin in the
transformation of pubic joint cartilage to ligament in
hypophysectomized mice
the histological changes occurring
in the pubic joint of hormonally
treated intact or hypophysectomized mice
have been studied.  estrogen treatment resulted
in bone resorption and transformation
of the cartilage caps of the pubic bones to
fibrocartilage in intact mice but not in hypophysectomized
mice.  furthermore, relaxin
failed to influence the appearance of the pubic
joint of estrogen-primed hypophysectomized
mice, whereas it induced the development of
long interpubic ligaments in intact mice.
when growth hormone (sth) was administered
to hypophysectomized mice, the pubic
joints responded to estrogen with bone resorption
and transformation of the cartilage caps
to fibrocartilage.  sth treatment also restored
the ability of the pubic joint of hypophysectomized
mice to proliferate long interpubic ligaments
when estrogen and relaxin were administered.
progesterone specifically inhibited
ligament formation due to relaxin injection
without altering the histological changes
associated with estrogen treatment, both in
intact mice and in sth-maintained, hypophysectomized mice.
