Effects of acute and chronic treatments with atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) on the Leydig cells of the rat testis.
Acute ANF bolus administration (40 micrograms.kg-1) did not affect secretory activity and morphology of rat Leydig cells. Prolonged (7-day) ANF infusion (20 micrograms.kg-1.h-1), on the contrary, elevated both basal and hCG-stimulated testosterone blood concentration, and caused a notable hypertrophy of rat Leydig cells. Leydig-cell hypertrophy was due to increases in the volume of all the organelles involved in cholesterol and testosterone synthesis (i.e. mitochondria, smooth endoplasmic reticulum and peroxisomes). These findings suggest that ANF, when chronically administered, is able to stimulate the growth and steroidogenic capacity of rat Leydig cells.
Mazzocchi
G
G
Department of Anatomy, University of Padua, Italy.
Malendowicz
L K
LK
Rebuffat
P
P
Kasprzak
A
A
Nussdorfer
G G
GG
D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008830:Microbodies / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; C472610:atrial natriuretic peptide, rat; D013739:Testosterone; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor