Maintenance of target tissue and sexual behavior with dihydrotestosterone in male rats and guinea pigs.
The ability of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to maintain androgen-sensitive target tissue and masculine sexual behavior was examined in castrated male rats and guinea pigs. Silastic capsules filled with DHT amd implanted subdermally at the time of castration were found to stimulate epididymal tissue in a dose-dependent manner in both species. However, differences were found in the behavioral effectiveness of this steroid. Capsules containing sufficient DHT to maintain peripheral structures were effective in maintaining copulatory behavior of castrated guinea pigs, but not of the similarly treated rats.
D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration; D003307:Copulation; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*
D013196:Dihydrotestosterone