Synergy of Abdominal Pressure and Androgens in Testicular Descent

Abstract

The potential synergistic activity between intra-abdominal pressure and androgens in facilitating testicular descent was investigated in the rat. In the rat, the testis normally descends on or about the 21st day of age. If 1 testis is excised at 14 days of age and replaced by a silicone prosthesis, the silicone prosthesis will descend into the scrotum in .apprx. 11/20 (55%) of the animals by 28 days of age. If both testes are excised at 14 days of age and a solitary silicone prosthesis is then placed into the abdominal cavity, the prosthesis will descend into the scrotum in 7s 4/18 (22%) of the animals. If both testes are excised at 14 days of age and a silicone prosthesis is placed into the abdominal cavity but the animals are treated daily from Day 14 to Day 27 of age with 2 mg of dihydrotestosterone, the prosthesis will at 28 days of age descend into the scrotum in 10/16 (63%) of the animals treated. Androgens do not appear to be solely responsible for testicular descent in the rat. Another mechanism such as intra-abdominal pressure may be operative in facilitating testicular descent in this animal species. There may be some synergism between androgens and intra-abdominal pressure in promoting testicular descent.