Effect of embryonic and/or neonatal diethylstilbestrol and allylestrenol treatment on postnatal development of the chick testis.
The synthetic steroid diethylstilbestrol (DES) and the steroid-like allylestrenol (AE) have been used for years in human medicine for the protection of pregnancy. The hazards to the fetus of gestational DES treatment are well established [2, 17, 18]. Knowledge of a similar effect of AE is still fragmentary. Therefore, further studies are required of the after-effects of embryonic and perinatal AE exposure. In our earlier experiments with polypeptide hormones [4, 5, 6] we have observed that perinatal age is a critical period in the maturation of hormone receptors. In this period the presence of hormone induces the development of its specific receptors. The phenomenon is termed hormonal imprinting [4, 5, 6]. During its maturation the receptor is flexible and the presence of non-specific hormones capable of binding to it may alter its normal development Accordingly, even a single hormone injection in the perinatal period may alter the hormone-sensitivity of the target organ.
D000500:Allylestrenol / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol / Q000633:toxicity*; D004963:Estrenes / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
D004963:Estrenes; D004054:Diethylstilbestrol; D000500:Allylestrenol