Influence of oestrous cyclicity on certain metabolic alterations in the submandibular glands of female rats.

This report concerns changes brought about in the submandibular salivary gland during different stages of the oestrous cycle in the concentrations of total lipids, cholesterol and protein, together with an assessment of the activities of cyclic AMP-specific phosphodiesterase, ATPase, succinate dehydrogenase and an estimation of plasma glucose concentrations. As it is known that the ovarian steroids influence metabolic processes, it was thought desirable to study such metabolic alterations. During the transition from a dioestrous to oestrous stage, lipid accumulation occurred. However, during the metoestrous stage, catabolic tendencies predominated although there was some protein synthesis.