Concentration of Testosterone in Testis Fluid of the Rat1

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The requirement for testosterone (T) n i spermatogenesis is well documented and it is generally assumed that the concentration of T in the seminiferous tubules is high. In the present study we have collected fluid from the testis of the intact adult rat after efferent duct ligation. The T concentration measure d by radioimmunoassay was 31.7 ± 2.1 ng/ml testis fluid, which was approximately 20 times more than that found in the peripheral blood plasma of the same animals (1.7 ± 0.2 ng/ml). Th e concentrations of T in the fluid and plasma were correlated (r = 0.75). Administration of testosterone propionate (TP) (1 mgd/day) to the intact rat reduced the concentration of T in the fluid and increased the concentration of T in the plasma resulting in a fluid to plasma ratio of about 1. Administratio n of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) (200 IU/day) increased the Tconcentration in both fluid and plasma. Hypophysectomy resulted in a significant decrease n i T concentration in fluid and in plasma. These effects of hypophysectomy could be reversed by administration of hCG. On the other hand, administration to the hypophysectomized rat of sufficient amount of TP to restore T concentration in the fluid produced high plasma T. The results appear to indicate that the concentration of T in the fluid bathing the germinal epithelium is high and that this T concentration is under pituitary control. It is suggested that the presence of T in the testis fluid depends on its direct transport from the Leydig cells or on local testosterone synthesis in the seminiferous tubules rather than an androgen transport by the systemic circulation. (Endocrinology95: 701, 1974)

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: