Estrogen Induction of Progestin Receptors in the Hypothalamus of Male and Female Rats Which Differ in Their Ability to Exhibit Cyclic Gonadotropin Secretion and Female Sexual Behavior

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Abstract
This study examined whether estrogen induction of cytoplasmic progestin receptors in the hypothalamus of male and female rats is sufficient to facilitate feminine sexual behaviors and/or cyclic gonadotropin secretion. Newborn male rats were injected with oil (M) or were castrated at birth and injected with oil (D1-M) or 10 µg of testosterone propionate (TP) (l0-TP-M); neonatal females were treated with oil (F), 10 µg of TP (10-TP-F), or 500 µg of TP (500-TP-F). In adulthood, females were tested for estrous cyclicity by taking vaginal smears. Following adrenalectomygonadectomy, all animals received estrogen plus progesterone and were tested for the display of receptive and proceptive components of female sexual behavior. After hormone withdrawal, animals were injected with oil or 5 µg of estradiol benzoate (EB) 24 and 48 h before sacrifice, the same dose and times of EB injection used in behavioral testing, and the concentrations of cytoplasmic progestin receptors in the hypothalamus-preoptic area (HPOA) were determined using 3H-R5020.