Pituitary and gonadal function in pubertal and adult male rabbits with pseudohermaphroditism secondary to immunization of mothers against testosterone.

Abstract

Pituitary and testicular function was studied in pubertal and adult rabbits with pseudohermaphroditism secondary to immunization of mothers against testosterone. Circulating testosterone, LH and FSH levels showed a developmental pattern during sexual maturation, similar to that observed in controls. Plasma FSH levels were elevated in male pseudohermaphrodites despite normal plasma testosterone concentrations. Fighting, male sexual behaviour and coitus occurred normally as in controls. The testicular response to endogenous elevated LH levels and the pituitary LH and FSH responses to LRH injection and to castration were similar in affected males and in controls. These observations suggest that inhibition of the central effects of androgens during the embryonic and perinatal period has little or no effect on the differentiation and maturation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-testicular axis in rabbit.