The androgenic control of the composition of the rat epididymis determined by efferent duct ligation or castration

Abstract

The technique of efferent duct ligation prevents spermatozoa from entering the epididymis and enables metabolic processes to be studied in the androgen-maintained epididymis without contribution from spermatozoa. Castration enables the epididymis to be studied when spermatozoa and androgenic support are absent. [Weight, total protein, phospholipid, DNA, RNA, acid soluble P, glycogen and sialic acid were studied in both procedures.] The alterations in biochemical composition reported supplemental anatomical studies in indicating that the androgen-deprived epididymis is an involuted organ which probably has a markedly reduced synthetic activity.