THE EFFECT OF TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE ON THE RAT TESTIS1

Abstract

Testosterone propionate (5[gamma]) injected into [male] albino rats daily from 22 to 32 days of age led to a probably significant increase (by 17%) in the testes wt. Proliferation of the germinal epithelium was stimulated but maturation of spermatozoa remained unaffected. With 10 [gamma] similarly administered testicular wt. remained unchanged. With higher doses at this age testicular wt. was progressively decreased reaching a minimum ([long dash]51%) with 50 [gamma]. All doses progressively higher than 50 7 continued to depress testicular wt. but the degree of depression was inverse to the size of the dosage. Microscopically, all testes so treated showed signs of increased germinal proliferation. No evidence of premature maturation was observed. A daily dose of 2.5 mg caused degeneration and sloughing of the germinal epi-thelium. Doses (e.g. 50 [gamma]) found to be depressing when used for short periods in young animals failed to depress the testis when continued over longer intervals.