title: Involvement of prostate in the regulation of serum levels of FSH, LH, and prolactin in male rats.
abstract: Circulatory levels of LH and FSH were measured in serum of male rats (28, 35, 42, 63, 70, 77, and 207 days of age) 7 days following sham operation, castration (C), prostatectomy (P), and castration + prostatectomy (C + P). In C + P rats that were 49, 63, 70, 77, and 207 days of age, the plasma FSH was significantly elevated as compared to the C group. Administration of aqueous prostatic extract restored the circulatory FSH level in C + P animals to that observed in C animals, whereas in C animals FSH levels were suppressed, indicating inhibinlike activity. In rats 49 and 77 days of age, circulatory LH levels were significantly suppressed in C + P animals as compared to the C group. Both castration and prostatectomy alone suppressed circulatory prolactin levels. Administration of prostatic extract to castrated animals restored the prolactin levels to that of the sham-operated control animals. Results of the present study suggest a role of the prostate in feedback regulation of FSH and prolactin.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration; D005246:Feedback; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D011467:Prostate / Q000502:physiology*; D011468:Prostatectomy; D051381:Rats; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone