Urinary Œstrogen Excretion by the Bull

Abstract

ACCORDING to Leach et al.¹, several observations indicate that in the human male the testis accounts for 80 per cent or more of the urinary œstrogens. Maddock and Nelson² claim that œtrogen excretion is a more reliable and sensitive indicator of Leydig cell function than is 17-ketosteroid excretion. These views are supported by Leach et al.¹. Conti et al.³ found increased œstrogen excretion in six patients with hypogonadism and hyperplasia of the Leydig cells. The urinary œstrogens were doubled during chorionic gonadotropin administration. The results of Dux et al.⁴ support the findings of Maddock and Nelson² that secretion of œstrogens by the mature testis is a highly specific reaction to chorionic gonadotropin. The authors claim intravenous drop infusion of chorionic gonadotropin to be of clinical value in evaluation of the endocrine functions of the testis.