[Kurloff's thymic inclusion : action on rat gonads in culture]

Thymic and splenic extracts rich in FOA-KURLOFF (F.K.) body cells, obtained from guinea-pigs treated with oestrogen, were added to rat testis or ovaries in culture. Controls were prepared with extracts from thymus and spleen of non treated animals and from kidneys of treated or non treated animals. After five hours the level of sexual hormones and the germinal cells were studied. The F.K. substance has no effect on germinal cells and on progesterone and testosterone secretion. The F.K. substance induces a significative decrease of oestrogen secretion. In an other paper we established that F.K. bodies induced a hyperactivity of internal theca folliculi and of ovarian interstitial cells. It is a false image of activity in connection with a hypersecretion of FSH. The F.K. substance inhibits oestrogen synthesis.