Variations in the plasma levels of gonadotrophin and testosterone and in Leydig and Sertoli cell populations between birth and adulthood in Romanov lambs born in spring or autumn.

Abstract

Plasma gonadotrophin and testosterone levels during the prepuberal period have been compared in spring and autumn-born Romanov lambs; the somatic and germ cell populations of these lambs have also been compared at birth and at adulthood. At 1 and 3 months of age, the number of LH pulses per hour and mean plasma LH levels were significantly higher in spring than in autumn lambs. In adults, no such differences were observed. Similarly, at 1 and 3 months of age, the number of testosterone pulses per hour was higher in spring than in autumn animals. In the prepuberal period, the ratio of the levels of mean plasma testosterone to LH was higher in autumn than in spring lambs. The highest ratio was observed in adults but there was no variation according the season of birth. At 1 month of age, mean plasma FSH levels were higher in autumn than in spring lambs; this difference did not persist later on. Despite these endocrinological differences, testis weight, total Sertoli and Leydig cell numbers per testis, total number of gonocytes per testis at birth and daily production of round spermatids per testis in adult rams were similar in spring and autumn-born animals.