Transplantation of the Upper Reproductive Tract to the Spleen in the Female Rat : A Method for Studying the Pituitary-Gonadal Relationship

A surgical procedure was developed for autoplastic grafting of the ovary into the splenic circulation. The ovarian transplant is joined to the spleen by an attached piece of oviduct and uterus. Direct arterial connections to the graft are maintained throughout the procedure; there is no direct contact of splenic and ovarian tissue. Transplantation of the left utero-tubo-ovarian segment and removal of the contralateral ovary was performed best in immature rats. The ovarian artery and vein were removed from the graft one week later. The transplanted ovary hypertrophied while the uterus in situ remained atrophic. The relationship between the weight of the splenic ovary and the uterus in situ was useful in evaluating ovarian-graft response to the increased gonadotropin secretion which occurs. Gonadotropin secretion in this situation is discussed in light of possible progestogen feedback to the hypothalamo-hypophyseal system.