title: Changes with age in the occurrence of C19 steroids in the testis and submaxillary gland of the boar.
abstract: After extraction from the testes of boars of different ages, C19 steroids including 16-androstenes were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Similarly, 16-androstenes were determined in the submaxillary glands of these boars. A high concentration of testosterone was found in the testes of 84-day-old fetuses, and this might be significant in the differentiation of male behaviour. The amount of testosterone exceeded that of androstenedione during postnatal development, and dehydroepiandrosterone and 5-androstenediol as free and sulphates were found in high concentrations particularly in postpubertal boars, suggesting that the 5-ene pathway for the synthesis of testosterone might be important. There was a change in the predominance of individual 16-androstenes in the testis during development, which closely paralleled the sequence for the biosynthesis of these compounds proposed from previous studies in vitro. Whereas the amount of 5alpha-androst-16-en-3beta-ol exceeded that of 5alpha-androst-16-en-3alpha-ol in post-pubertal testes, 5alpha-androst-16-en-3alpha-ol was predominant in the submaxillary glands at all ages. The high concentration of 16-androstenes found in the mature boar, are discussed in relation to their release as pheromones and as factors responsible for taint in boar meat.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000734:Androstenediols / Q000032:analysis; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000032:analysis; D000736:Androstenes / Q000032:analysis*; D000737:Androstenols / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D007246:Infertility; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000032:analysis* / Q000254:growth & development; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development*; D013737:Testis / Q000032:analysis* / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000734:Androstenediols; D000736:Androstenes; D000737:Androstenols; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone