Abstract
Recently we have demonstrated inhibition of masculine differentiation in male offspring of female rabbits actively immunised against T. After passage through the placenta the T-antibodies not only inhibit the entry of T into the fetal target cells but also protect it from metabolism. Thus, besides marked feminisation, 1000-fold elevated plasma T levels in the male fetuses are observed. To assess the influence of T-antibodies on fetal testes we studied histologically the testes of 7 neonates born by 3 T-immunised rabbits and of 3 controls. No influence on testicular differentiation could be observed. However, the neonates immunologically deprived of T showed significantly enlarged interstitium and the number of Leydig cells was twice as high as in the controls. These findings indicate increased stimulation of the testes in these animals and suggest that normally even in the fetus a negative feedback is acting between testes and hypothalamo-pituitary system, which is interrupted by T-antibodies. Obviously T plays an important role in the control of the HPG system in the male fetus.
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Bidlingmaier, F., Knorr, D. & Neumann, F. Evidence of the importance of testosterone (T) for the control of the fetal hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) system in rabbits. Pediatr Res 12, 1086 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197811000-00029
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197811000-00029