ON THE METABOLIC ACTION OF TESTOSTERONE AND RELATED COMPOUNDS

Abstract

Changes in nucleic acid composition of the seminal vesicles and kidneys of mice which occur after castration and after substitution therapy with testosterone in castrated animals were studied. It was found that after castration both the DNA and RNA content of the seminal vesicles decreases. The concentration of DNA, however, increases while the RNA concentration in this tissue decreases. These changes are reversed by treatment with testosterone. The rise in RNA content precedes the increase in DNA content of this organ. No changes in DNA content of the kidneys were found either after castration or after treatment with testosterone of castrated mice. The RNA content of this organ changed parallel with the changes in weight. These results strongly suggest that with testosterone treatment, the growth of the seminal vesicles is due to hyperplasia as well as hypertrophy, while the increase in kidney weight is due only to hypertrophy.