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PINEALECTOMY OF THE RAT FŒTUS IN UTERO . A METHOD FOR PRODUCING LOCALIZED INTRACEREBRAL LESIONS DURING THE LAST THIRD OF GESTATION
Author(s) -
Owman Ch.
Publication year - 1963
Publication title -
quarterly journal of experimental physiology and cognate medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0033-5541
DOI - 10.1113/expphysiol.1963.sp001682
Subject(s) - pinealectomy , in utero , pineal gland , gestation , medicine , anatomy , endocrinology , biology , fetus , pregnancy , melatonin , genetics
A method is described for localized electrocoagulation of small structures in the brain of the rat fœtus in utero during the last third of gestation. Previous histological investigations suggested the existence of a secretory activity of the fœtal pineal gland of the rat. The method was therefore primarily used for pinealectomy of rat fœtuses aged 15 days 16½hr. to 16 days 22 hr., with survival until near term. Of the 140 fœtuses operated upon, the survival rate was 60 per cent. In 37 per cent the pineal gland had been totally destroyed and in 27 per cent subtotally. The remaining 36 per cent served as sham‐operated controls.