title: [Gonadal opioids and testicular function].
abstract: A review is presented on the occurrence of opioid systems within mammalian testes at different stages of sexual development. Identification of the messenger ribonucleic acid sequences (mRNA) related to the three opioid precursor families and as well as characterization and localization of their main derivates may account for the importance of such systems within reproductive tissues. These data are supported by experimental in vivo and in vitro studies giving evidence that opioid peptides are produced locally and may exert paracrine and/or autocrine effects within the testes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Histologie-Embryologie et Biologie de la Reproduction, Faculté de Médecine, Lille.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Engelhardt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004723:Endorphins / Q000032:analysis*; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000032:analysis*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D013737:Testis / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D004745:Enkephalins; D011498:Protein Precursors; C029992:proenkephalin; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; C033660:preproenkephalin
vernacular_title: Opioïdes gonadiques et fonction testiculaire.