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THE EFFECT OF METABOLITES OF TESTOSTERONE ON THE VIABILITY OF HAMSTER EPIDIDYMAL SPERMATOZOA
- Source :
- Journal of Endocrinology. 58:193-198
- Publication Year :
- 1973
- Publisher :
- Bioscientifica, 1973.
-
Abstract
- SUMMARY The effects of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, 3α- and 3β-androstanediol on the fertilizing capacity of mature epididymal spermatozoa and on the production of fructose by the seminal vesicles were compared in golden hamsters. When injected subcutaneously into castrated animals, 100 μg testosterone, 75 μg dihydrotestosterone but only 12·5 μg 3α-androstanediol per day were required to maintain the fertilizing capacity at the control level for 12 days; 3β-androstanediol failed to maintain the fertilizing capacity of epididymal spermatozoa for 12 days. Although testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were equipotent in stimulating production of fructose by the seminal vesicles, 3α- and 3β-androstanediol were much less effective. The discrepancy in the response of the cauda epididymidis and seminal vesicles to 3α-androstanediol suggests that the hormonal requirements for sperm survival in the cauda epididymidis differ from those for the production of fructose in seminal vesicles. The results suggest that circulating testosterone may be relatively inactive in the cauda epididymidis and that the maintenance of fertilizing capacity of epididymal spermatozoa might be correlated with the reduction of dihydrotestosterone to the more potent androgen 3α-androstanediol by mature spermatozoa.
- Subjects :
- Male
endocrine system
medicine.medical_specialty
Time Factors
Cell Survival
Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Hamster
Fructose
Endocrinology
Cricetinae
Internal medicine
Testis
medicine
Animals
Testosterone
Castration
Epididymis
urogenital system
Chemistry
Seminal Vesicles
Dihydrotestosterone
Testosterone (patch)
Spermatozoa
Fertility
Androstanes
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14796805 and 00220795
- Volume :
- 58
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Endocrinology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....f0560a6e928ba52d46fdbd4b824f9059