Abstract
The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on testicular steroidogenesis in protein-deficient and refed rats was studied in vitro. The malnourished, refed and control rats were found to secret testosterone in response to hCG and PGE1 stimulation. There was a significant reduction in the basal level of secretion in the malnourished rat testis (1.0 .+-. 0.4 nmol/3 h/testis). Malnourished rats refed with adequate protein diet responded to hCG and PGE1 stimulation in a similar manner to normally-fed adult rats.