Proliferative response of mouse submandibular gland to androgen but not to thyroid hormone

Hormone-induced differentiation and proliferation of cells were investigated in the submandibular gland of castrated female mice, by determining the esteroprotease activity and 3H-thymidine labelling index, respectively. Injections of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (4 micrograms/g body weight/day) or L-thyroxine (0.5 microgram/g body weight/day) induced a significant increase in the activity of esteroprotease, which has been shown to be localized in the convoluted tubule cells of the submandibular gland. Injections of the above-mentioned dose of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone for 3 days induced a 43-fold increase in the labelling index of the convoluted tubule cells, but injections of the above-mentioned dose of L-thyroxine for any duration did not induce a significant increase in the labelling index. The present result suggests that hormones which induce differentiation of cells in mouse submandibular gland do not necessarily induce cell proliferation.