Synthesis of Estradiol -17β by Sertoli Cells in Culture: Stimulation by FSH and Dibutyryl Cyclic AMP

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Abstract
The ability of the mammalian testis to secrete estrogens is well established, although the testicular cell type(s) responsible for secretion of this class of steroids has been somewhat controversial. The Sertoli cell was initially implicated on the basis of early observations of feminization of dogs with Sertoli cell tumours (1); this was subsequently substantiated by the isolation of biologically active estrogenic material from Sertoli cell tumours (2,3). On the other hand, Hunt and Budd (4) concluded that the Leydig cell was the cell responsible for estrogen secretion, on the basis of evidence of feminization in men with tumours believed to be of interstitial cell origin. Support for this conclusion came from the observations of Maddock and Nelson (5) that prolonged administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) to normal and hypogonadal men resulted in increased urinary estrogen secretion. This was associated with histologic evidence of marked stimulation of the Leydig cells, interference with normal spermatogenesis, and appearance of “degenerative” changes in the Sertoli cells.