Role of the pineal in the alteration of hamster Sertoli cell responsiveness to FSH during testicular regression.
Testicular regression was induced in adult hamsters by optic enucleation, short photoperiod, or melatonin injections. The melatonin injected group, while undergoing testicular regression, showed a quite different time course from the optic enucleated and short photoperiod groups. All three methods resulted in the restoration of Sertoli cell responsiveness to FSH in vitro from the adult level to that of Sertoli cells from immature hamsters 18-20 days of age. the melatonin injected group showed a shift in testis weight which resulted in a half maximal restoration of Sertoli cell responsiveness to FSH compared to the other groups. This restoration of Sertoli cell responsiveness to FSH was blocked by pinealectomy. These data indicate that the pineal has a specific (but not necessarily direct) effect on Sertoli cell function. In addition, the effect of melatonin injections is qualitatively but not quantitatively similar to optic enucleation and short photoperiod both with regard to testicular regression and alteration of Sertoli cell response.
D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008647:Mesocricetus; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology*
D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D008550:Melatonin