Abstract

Exo-endocytotic images and intramembrane protein particles (IMP) were quantitatively assessed in freeze-fracture replicas from the plasma membrane of arcuate neurons of rats aged 0 (newborns), 10, 20 and 100 days postpartum. Membranes contained significantly ( P < 0.02) more IMPs in females than in males. Exo-endocytotic images were increased in newborn and 10-day-old males when compared to adult males or to developing females (48 ± 6 vs 6 ± 1 images 100 μ m 2 in 10-day-old male and female rats, respectively). Androgenization of females with a single injection of testosterone propionate on the day of birth resulted in an increased number of exo-endocytotic images in developing animals ( 75 ± 9 images 100 μ m 2 , 10-day-old rats) and in the abolishment of the sex differences in the number of IMPs.

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