THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS IN MALNUTRITION EFFECTS OF CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN UPON ATROPHIC GENITALIA OF UNDERFED MALE RATS

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Abstract
These regressive changes were corrected by the injection of chorionic gonadotrophin. Atrophy of the accessory sex organs during chronic inanition is primarily due to a diminution in testosterone production, because when small doses of chorionic gonadotrophin were injected, which resulted in testosterone production, and when testosterone itself was administered, the accessories increased in wt. promptly and markedly. The atrophy of the interstitial cells of Leydig manifested itself by the appearance of a wheel-like formation in the nuclei of these cells. The appearance of wheel-cells was considered to be a reliable index of an insufficiency of gonadotrophic hormone. The inj. of chorionic gonadotrophin resulted in the disappearance of the wheel-like formation in the nuclei of the interstitial cells. The loss in wt. of the testes and the diminution in the size and spermatogenic activity of the testicular tubules were due to the lack of an. adequate hormonal stimulus. The inj. of chorionic gonadotrophin resulted in growth of the testes and a return of spermato-genesis. The latter occurred only after 40 days of treatment, regardless of the dose (10-25 R.U.). The presence of an intact pituitary gland is necessary for chorionic gonadotrophin spermatogenesis in the underfed rat because chorionic gonadotrophin cannot elicit spermatogenesis in the atrophic testes of hypophysectomized rats. The sterility of the [male] rat is due to atrophy of the accessory genital organs and to a diminished or an absent spermatogenesis. Such sterile animals when injected with chorionic gonadotrophin will both mate and also successfully impregnate normal [female] rats, despite the continued underfeeding. In the chronically underfed [male] rat, the atrophy of the genital organs and the consequent sterility are due primarily to an insufficiency of gonadotrophic hormone resulting from depression of the pituitary gland.