Testicular descent: Androgen receptors in cultured porcine gubernaculum cells

Abstract

We have adapted an oil microcentrifuge assay for evaluating the binding of tritiated methyltrienolone ([ 3H]R1881) in metabolically active primary cultured porcine gubernaculum fibroblasts. Almost complete separation of cells with the bound hormone and medium with the unbound hormone can be achieved within 30s of centrifugation at 10,000 g. Specific [ 3H]R1881 binding was found in four different gubernmaculum fibroblast cultures (9,000–42,000 sites/cell) and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells (34,000 sites/cell) which were used as controls. Binding was inhibited by radio-inert R1881 and 5α-dihydrotestosterone but not by estradiol and cortisol. The results indicate that androgen receptors are present in fibroblasts from the gubernaculum during both the first and second phase of testicular descent and that they may play a role in the regulation of that process.