Influence of the pineal gland on testicular function in offspring of pinealectomized rats
Female Sprague–Dawley rats exposed to a short (6L:18D) photoperiod from 21 days of age were mated when they reached 55 days of age. On Day 2 of gestation animals were pinealectomized or sham-operated. On Day 5 after birth male pups of the two groups of dams were either pinealectomized or sham-operat...
Saved in:
| Published in: | Journal of reproduction & fertility Vol. 89; no. 2; pp. 415 - 421 |
|---|---|
| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
England
Society for Reproduction and Fertility
01-07-1990
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Female Sprague–Dawley rats exposed to a short (6L:18D) photoperiod from 21 days of age were mated when they reached 55 days
of age. On Day 2 of gestation animals were pinealectomized or sham-operated. On Day 5 after birth male pups of the two groups
of dams were either pinealectomized or sham-operated. They were killed at 42 and 49 days of age. In offspring born to sham-operated
dams and in those born to pinealectomized mothers, neonatal pineal ablation resulted in increased testicular testosterone
and androstenedione content. In sham-operated and neonatally pinealectomized rats removal of the maternal pineal gland induced
a decrease in testicular testosterone and androstenedione content. In contrast, after maternal pinealectomy there was a decrease
in plasma testosterone and dihydrotestosterone values and testicular dihydrotestosterone content in sham-operated rats but
not in those neonatally pinealectomized. We conclude that (1) the pineal glands of the mother and offspring are required to
maintain normal testicular testosterone and androstenedione content in the rat, and (2) the pineal of the offspring influences
the inhibitory effects of maternal pinealectomy on testicular dihydrotestosterone content and on plasma testosterone and dihydrotestosterone
concentration in the offspring.
Keywords: rat; androgens; pineal gland |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1470-1626 0022-4251 1741-7899 |
| DOI: | 10.1530/jrf.0.0890415 |