Follicle stimulating hormone enhances attachment of rat testis cells in culture

Abstract

EXTENSIVE in vivo experiments indicate that mammalian spermatogenesis is under the regulation of pituitary gonadotrophins. The cellular sites and mechanisms by which spermatogenesis is regulated by gonadotrophic hormones, however, are poorly understood. Means has shown in vivo that follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates several cellular processes^1,2. So far, however, no one has shown an in vitro effect of FSH on the testis. Several reports have indicated that hormones or hormone mediators alter cell properties in culture. In particular, testosterone was found to cause morphological changes in CHO cells³ and cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate has been shown to affect the adhesive properties of L-929 (ref. 4) and BHK (ref. 5) cells. We have been studying the growth of testis cells from the 10-d-old rat in culture and report here our observations on the stimulation of testicular cell attachment to culture dishes by follicle stimulating hormone.