Progesterone Metabolismin Vitroby Rabbit Testes at Different Stages of Development

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Testicular homogenates from white rabbits of 0.4, 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 18 and 24 mo. of age were incubated with [3H]progesterone and NADPH. At 12 days of age, major C21-17-OH- and C19-steroids formed from progesterone were 17.alpha.-hydroxyprogesterone and testosterone. At 4-24 mo. of age, 17.alpha.-hydroxyprogesterone, 3.beta.,17.alpha.-dihydroxy-5.alpha.-pregnan-20-one, and 5.alpha.-reduced C19-steroids such as 17.beta.-hydroxy-5.alpha.-androstan-3-one, 3.beta.-hydroxy-5.alpha.-androstan-17-one and 5.alpha.-androstane-3.beta.,17.beta.-diol were the major products. The formation of significant quantities of 5.alpha.-reduced C19-steroids, which had been demonstrated previously only in prepubertal testes of rats and mice, was present in prepubertal and adult testes of rabbits. The metabolic patterns of progesterone in the adult rabbit differ from those in the adult rat and mouse. The major C19-steroids formed by testes are testosterone in the adult rat and mouse, but 5.alpha.-reduced C19-steroids in the adult rabbit.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: