Intermediates in 16‐androstene biosynthesis in neonatal porcine testis

Abstract
The metabolism of pregnenolone has been studied in microsomal preparations of testes from 3‐week old piglets. Metabolites identified after derivatization by capillary gas‐chromatography and further by combined gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry were: 17‐hydroxy‐ and 16α‐hydroxypregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone, 5‐androstenediols, 5‐pregnenediol and andien‐β. Pregnenolone and 16‐dehydropregnenolone, previously not separable by other methods, were successfully resolved as methyl oximetrimethylsilyl ethers using capillary column gas‐chromatography.