Reactivity to estradiol of thymic cells from female mice before and after puberty.

The reactivity to estradiol of thymic cells from female mice representing different stages of sexual maturation was investigated. It was found that estradiol administered in pharmacological doses can evoke in thymuses of ovariectomized mice changes imitating those observed during puberty with the reactivity to estradiol changing along with the process of sexual maturation. It is most likely that the changes of reactivity are due to extragonadal factors.