THE EFFECTS OF ANDROGENIZATION IN MALE RATS CASTRATED AT BIRTH

Abstract

SUMMARY: Male rats were castrated on the day of birth and 5 days later half were given 2·5 mg. testosterone propionate (TP) subcutaneously (androgenization). When 30 days old, single animals were treated with graded doses of TP for 10 days. At the same time 57 males were united in parabiosis with normal intact males, and treated for 10 days with androgen. Androgenization resulted in increased sensitivity of the accessory sex organs to subsequent treatment with TP. Also, the excessive secretion of gonadotrophin by the castrated animals, as measured by androgen production in intact parabiotic partners, was more effectively inhibited by TP in androgenized than in non-androgenized males. The results are consistent with the interpretation that early androgen treatment sensitizes both the male target organs and the hypothalamo-hypophysial system to androgen.