Cofactor Conditions Research Articles

Androgen metabolism in rat testicular tissue.

Concentration of 3H-testosterone (T), 3H-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 3H-androstanediols were measured in blood and testicular tissue at various timed intervals in. 43-day-old rats injected with 100 μ-Ci sc of 3H-T. Concentrations of 3H-T were always higher in blood than testis and concentrations of 3H-DHT and 3H-androstanediols were always higher in testis than blood. Significant amounts of 3H-DHT and 3H-T remained in, the testis at the end of 6 hr. In experiments in vitro, metabolism of 3H-T, 3H-DHT or 3H-androstanediol by teased testicular tissue was examined in immature or mature rats under varying cofactor conditions. Tissue from immature rats showed significantly greater (p < 0.05) ability to form 5α-reduced metabolites of 3H-T than did mature testis, while little difference was seen between metabolites of 3H-DHT or 3H-androstanediol in these groups. An intercon-version of several 3H-5α-reduced compounds was noted in the tissues from immature and mature animals. Addition of NADPH increased the quan...