Hemicastration causes and testosterone prevents enhanced uptake of (/sup 3/H)thymidine by Sertoli cells in testes of immature rats
Rat pups were hemicastrated and uptake of (/sup 3/H)thymidine by Sertoli cells in the remaining testis was compared to that in testes of sham-operated pups at intervals of from 8 h to 21 days after surgery. Labeled thymidine was administered subcutaneously 2 h before sacrifice. Testes were processed for light microscope autoradiography and the percent of Sertoli cell nuclei that had incorporated (/sup 3/H)thymidine was determined by scoring nuclei in tissue sections as labeled or unlabeled. The percentage of cells labeled was increased in hemicastrates over intact controls by 8 h after surgery and testicular hypertrophy became apparent in hemicastrates by the following day. Labeling of Sertoli cells in hemicastrates remained elevated for 4 days and then returned to normal. When plasma levels of gonadotropins were measured in both groups 4 days after surgery, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was found to be more than twice normal in hemicastrates while luteinizing hormone (LH) was unchanged. The effect of testosterone on the response of Sertoli cells to hemicastration was also examined. In hemicastrates, 2 days of androgen therapy depressed, and an additional 2 days abolished, the proliferative response of the Sertoli cells. Our findings suggest that increased proliferation of Sertoli cells within the remaining testis is involved in the enlargement of the testis that follows hemicastration. They also imply that prevention of compensatory hypertrophy by testosterone involves interference with this response of Sertoli cells in some way. Finally, our data implicate FSH in control of Sertoli cell proliferation in vivo in immature rats.
- Research Organization:
- Department of Anatomy, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
- OSTI ID:
- 7133893
- Journal Information:
- Biol. Reprod.; (United States), Journal Name: Biol. Reprod.; (United States) Vol. 30:1; ISSN BIREB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANDROGENS
ANDROSTANES
ANIMALS
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
AZINES
BODY
CASTRATION
FSH
GONADOTROPINS
GONADS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
KETONES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LH
MALE GENITALS
MAMMALS
MEDICINE
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PEPTIDE HORMONES
PITUITARY HORMONES
PYRIMIDINES
RATS
RIBOSIDES
RODENTS
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
SURGERY
TESTES
TESTOSTERONE
THYMIDINE
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES