RESPONSE OF METRIAL GLAND TO TREATMENT WITH VARIOUS STEROIDS

IT HAS BEEN FOUND that during the involution of artificially produced deciduomata a curious structure develops in the mesometrial wall of the uterus just under-neath the insertion of the deciduoma. This growth has been named the ‘metrial gland’ (1). Later Selye et al. (2) noted that in spayed rats, in which deciduomata had been produced by uterine trauma following sensitisation with progesterone, the deciduomata themselves involuted almost completely in spite of continued progesterone treatment, while the subsequently formed metrial glands were maintained by this hormone. Simultaneous administration of estradiol tended to counteract the effect of progesterone in maintaining the metrial gland. These experiments showed that the metrial gland, just as is the deciduoma itself, is dependent upon both trauma and hormonal stimuli for its formation and maintenance. The physiological significance and essential nature of the metrial gland is still inadequately known.