THE ACTION OF VARIOUS STEROID HORMONES ON THE TESTIS

Abstract

EVER SINCE Moore and Price (1) formulated the hypothesis that the hormones of the sex glands cause atrophy of the gonads because they inhibit the gonadotropic hormone secretion of the pituitary, numerous investigators published experiments showing that androgens and estrogens produce atrophy of the gonads in both sexes. Since gonadal atrophy is one of the most readily developing consequences of non-specific damage (2), the first observations in which impure and often toxic organ or urine extracts were used, are inconclusive. However, it has now definitely been proven that even pure crystalline sex hormones are capable of producing gonad atrophy. As regards the relevant literature dealing with the action of such substances on the mammalian testis, the subject under consideration in this paper, it will be recalled that testis atrophy had been produced with crystalline estrogens in the rat (3–6)the rabbit (7) and several other species.