EFFECT OF HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPHIN ON TESTOSTERONE SECRETION BY THE FOETAL HUMAN TESTIS IN ORGAN CULTURE

Abstract

SUMMARY Foetal human testes (12–22 weeks gestation), maintained in organ culture, were treated with human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and the amount of testosterone produced compared with control cultures. In all cases the testes produced testosterone, but from the 13th to 18th week of gestation significantly more testosterone was produced by, and the Leydig cell hyperplasia was maintained in, the HCG stimulated organ cultures. It is suggested that HCG is ultimately responsible for differentiation of the human male external genitalia.