Pituitary hormones are essential for bone growth and bone turnover. Hypophysectomy (HX) diminishes mitogenesis and abolishes the high bone turnover rate induced by ovariectomy (OV). It is not known whether the suppressive effect of estrogen on bone resorption is diminished or abolished by HX. The present study investigates the effects of 17 beta-estradiol (E2) (20 micrograms/wk) on cortical and cancellous bone mass and bone turnover as measured by histomorphometry in HX + OV (HO) rats. Sprague-Dawley rats at 2 months of age were OV or HO and the experiment was performed over a 6 week period. Hypophysectomy + OV (HO) resulted in a cessation of periosteal bone formation, and longitudinal bone growth and a decrease in cancellous bone volume. The tibial dry weight and tibial density were significantly lower in the HO than in the intact or OV groups. Administration of E2 to HO rats partially prevented cancellous bone loss, whereas the same dosage of E2 fully prevented cancellous bone loss in rats with OV alone. Nevertheless, cancellous bone volume was higher in the HO + E2 than in the HO-alone groups. Estradiol administration in HO rats did not suppress cancellous bone formation rate or the eroded surface as much as it did in the OV rats. The suppressive effect of E2 on periosteal bone formation rate and mineral apposition rate was also diminished in HO rats. However, factorial ANOVA showed that the effects of E2 on increasing cancellous bone volume and decreasing periosteal bone formation rate and mineral apposition rate were still significant in the HO rats. Tibial dry weight and tibial density did not differ between HO and HO + E2 groups. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that the estrogen-induced effects of preventing cancellous bone loss, of suppressing bone formation, and resorption as seen in OV rats was diminished but not abolished in HO rats.