Synergism of Testosterone and Estradiol in the Development and Function of the Magnum from the Immature Chicken (Gallus domesticus) Oviduct

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Abstract
The interaction of estradiol (E) and testosterone (T) in the regulation of growth and function of the magnum from the immature chicken oviduct (11 weeks of age) was investigated following periodic injections of E and T singly, or combinations of the two hormones. T, in contrast to E, induced only limited increases in magnum weight, DNA, RNA and protein; it did not induce formation and differentiation of tubular gland cells and, consequently, no synthesis of egg white protein was observed. T, when administered with E, synergized magnum growth. A low or median level of T in combination with E stimulated both hyperplasia (increases in total DNA) and cellular hypertrophy (increases in dry matter/DNA, RNA/DNA and protein/DNA ratios). A high level of T in combination with E caused cellular hypertrophy only. Immunological and electrophoretic techniques revealed that T, in synergism with E, induced a marked increase in total ovalbumin and conalbumin in the magnum as well as in the content of these egg white proteins per cell (ovalbumin/DNA and conalbumin/ DNA ratios) over those observed with E alone. The egg white protein patterns in the magnum of immature chickens treated with T plus E, as compared with E alone, were more similar to those of laying-hen magnum. Morphological observations showed that T synergized with E in stimulating the hypertrophy of tubular gland cells and in causing the secretion of albumen from tubular glands to the central duct of the magnum. The biochemical data and morphological observations support the proposal that androgen, in synergism with estrogen, is normally involved in oviduct growth and function.(Endocrinology92: 563, 1973)

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