Hormonal control of testosterone secretion by the fetal rat testis in organ culture

G. F. Paz, J. A. Thliveris, J. S.D. Winter, I. F. Reyes, C. Faiman

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13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Testes isolated from fetal rats were maintained in organ culture for 72 h. Daily secretion of testosterone (T) into the medium was measured by radioimmunoassay. T secretion was stimulated by hCG (10-2000 mIU/ml); maximal stimulation was observed with a dose of 100-200 mIU/ml, whereas the 2000 mIU/ml dose resulted in a diminution of T secretion during Day 2 and Day 3 of incubation. Ultrastructural examination after 72 h of culture in the presence of higher doses of hCG (100-2000 mIU/ml) showed a reduction in Leydig cell lipid droplets and glycogen together with dilated profiles of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Lower doses of hCG (10-50 mIU/ml) did not alter the appearance of Leydig cells. T secretion was also stimulated by isobutylmethylxanthine (0.25 mM), 8 bromo-cAMP (0.5 mM) and dibutyryl-cAMP (1 mM). Addition of progesterone (1 μg/ml) alone, increased T secretion significantly and also had an additive effect when added in combination with hCG (20 mIU/ml). Estradiol-17β (1 μg/ml) alone, did not affect T secretion, but when added (at a dose of 1-5 μg/ml) together with hCG (20 mIU/ml) significantly inhibited the stimulatory effect of hCG. Ovine prolactin (500 ng/ml) alone, did not affect T secretion but at a concentration of both 100 and 500 ng/ml significantly inhibited the stimulatory effect of hCG (20 mIU/ml) on Day 2 and Day 3 of incubation. Thus, the fetal rat testis in organ culture appears to respond to regulatory factors in a fashion remarkably similar to that observed in vivo in the postnatal animal and would appear to afford a convenient model for future studies on the hormonal control of testicular steroidogenesis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1087-1095
Number of pages9
JournalBiology of Reproduction
Volume23
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1980
Externally publishedYes

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