A simple technique for collecting blood of testicular origin: application to in vivo studies on testicular steroidogenesis in rats and Macaca fascicularis.
A technique for rapidly collecting blood of testicular origin is described, one which can provide sufficient plasma amounts to investigate some steps of testicular steroid biogenesis in vivo in 2 species. In adult male rats, testosterone (T), androstenedione (4A) and 5-androstenediol (5AD) were determined in pampiniform plexus testicular venous blood (PPTV) and peripheral (PV) blood samples before and 2 h after human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG). PPTV concentration of 5AD was 0.83 +/- 0.1 ng/ml (mean +/- SEM) with a PPTV/PV ratio of 7.0 +/- 1.0, comparable to a PPTV/PV ratio for 4A of 5.8 +/- 1.8. After hCG, PPTV concentration of 5AD significantly increased to 1.28 +/- 0.15 ng/ml (P less than 0.05). Those data are in favor of a participation of 5-ene pathway to testicular biogenesis of T associated to a 4-ene pathway which is predominant. In adult male Macaca fascicularis, spermatic vein (SV) concentrations of 5AD and 4A were comparable (3.0 +/- 1.2 vs 4.3 +/- 1.0 ng/ml) as well as SV/PV ratios under basal conditions (3.5 +/- 0.9 vs 5.1 +/- 0.1), as well as 48 h after hCG, confirming in vivo that both 5-ene and 4-ene pathways are involved in testicular T biogenesis. Testicular production of estradiol (E2), estrone (E1) and their sulfates E2S and E1S showed a SV/PV ratio significantly higher than 1 (3.4 +/- 0.6; 2.4 +/- 0.1; 1.7 +/- 0.2 and 1.6 +/- 0.2, respectively).
Blacker
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Fondation de Recherche en Hormonologie, Fresnes, France.
Akar
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Scholler
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D015114:Androstenediol / Q000097:blood; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D000737:Androstenols / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods*; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D000737:Androstenols; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D015114:Androstenediol