Effects of testosterone on the liver of castrated rats: morphologic study.
It is well known that castration in rats causes atrophy of the sexual organs and, to a lesser extent, of other organs. We have observed that castration causes a reduction of the liver weight due to a reduction (-10%) of the numerical density of the hepatocytes after castration (p less than 0.01). Testosterone administration at high concentration (2.5 mg/100 g b. wt.) as well as at low concentration (0.025 mg/100 g) in the castrated rats causes an increase of the liver weight due to an increase (+30%) in the cellular area (p less than 0.001) as well as in the nuclear area (+20%) (p less than 0.01) of the hepatocytes, revealing a powerful hypertrophic effect of the hormone in the liver.
Tanganelli
P
P
University of Siena, Institute of Pathological Anatomy, Italy.
Bianciardi
G
G
Barbagli
L
L
Paffetti
A
A
Di Stefano
A
A
Pizzichini
M
M
Marinello
E
E
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D015431:Weight Loss
D013739:Testosterone