KOMBINIERTE ELEKTRONENMIKROSKOPISCHE UND BIOCHEMISCHE UNTERSUCHUNGEN ÜBER DEN EINFLUSS VON TESTOSTERON AUF DAS VESIKULARDRÜSENEPITHEL JUNGER RATTEN

Abstract

ABSTRACT The effect of testosterone on the morphology of the secretory cells in the seminal vesicles of 13 and 30 days old rats was studied by means of electron microscopy. After five administrations of the hormone (5 × 100 μg testosterone) to 13 days old animals there was an increase of free ribosomes, morphological changes in the Golgi complex and a marked enlargement of the intercellular spaces. No significant morphological changes could be demonstrated in rats aged 30 days. In addition the effect of testosterone on the uptake of [2-14C]thymidine by the seminal vesicles of 13 days old rats was investigated. This uptake only slightly enhanced (about 30%). It was remarkable however, that an almost identical uptake of thymidine occurred in all animals treated with the hormone, whereas the uptake was quite different in the controls. Whether testosterone was administered once or five times did not affect the results. The morphological and biochemical results suggest that the action of testosterone on the seminal vesicles of very young rats involves effects other than those seen in older animals.