“…Three-month-old Wistar strain male rats were maintained at controlled temperature (21±3 °C) and lighting conditions (14 h light: 10 h darkness cycle), with free access to commercial laboratory chow and tap water. Taking into account that exogenous estrogen excess induces pituitary tumours [17,32], intact animals were treated with estradiol benzoate (Sigma Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) for 10, 20, 40, and 60 days (E10, E20, E40, and E60). Estrogen was implanted subcutaneously in slow releasing silastic brand capsules (Dow Corning, Medical grade, Midland, MI, USA) filled with 10 mg of estrogen crystals and sealed with silastic cement.…”