Abstract
Testicular responsiveness to HCG alone and with FSH priming in intact rats of 26,35,45,56,65 and 76 days of age has been systematically investigated. Circulating levels of testosterone and its two potent androgenic metabolites, 5α-dihydrotestosterone(DHT) and 3α,5α-androstanediol(Adiol)before and after various doses of HCG (10,20 and 40 IU per 100 g b.w.) were taken as the index of testicular responsiveness and measured by radioimmunoassay. The effects of FSH priming before HCG administration were also studied. Testicular responsiveness to HCG progressively increased during maturation recording maximum (average 4600% of the basal values) at age 35 and 45 days. 20 IU of HCG per 100 g b.w. was enough to provoke maximum stimulation which was indistinguishable from that due to a larger dose. DHT and Adiol were maximally stimulated with HCG at 45 days showing no further increment with maturity. The magnitude of the response for DHT and Adiol appeared to be neither related to the dose of HCG nor to the pretreatment with FSH. This study postulates that changing androgen response to HCG may be a major factor in sexual maturation in the male rat and it is influenced by the FSH pretreatment only in the mature animals.
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Gupta, D., Zais, R. & Bücher, H. The sequence of changes in testicular responsiveness to HCG stimulation and FSH priming in rats during sexual maturation. Pediatr Res 13, 1191 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197910000-00067
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197910000-00067