title: Development and androgen regulation of the secretory cell types of the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) Harderian gland.
abstract: The secretory cell types of the hamster Harderian glands were studied in both male and female Syrian hamsters. As previously demonstrated, female hamsters showed a single secretory cell type (type I), while male hamsters displayed two secretory cell types (type I and type II). Type-II cells were observed after the first month of age correlating with the increase in testosterone levels. The administration of testosterone to adult female hamsters resulted in a marked increase in the percentage of type-II cells without a significant increase in the number of mitotic figures. Very low levels of serum testosterone were able to maintain the percentage of type-II cells. Castration of male hamsters produced a decrease in the percentage of type-II cells. This drop correlated with the reduction in serum testosterone levels. The chronic administration of a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist to male Syrian hamsters induced a significant reduction in both serum luteinizing hormone and testosterone. However, the percentage of type-II cells was similar to that of control hamsters suggesting that very low levels of circulating testosterone are able to maintain the percentage of type-II cells. In a final experiment male Syrian hamsters were treated with the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate. No changes were observed in the percentage of type-II cells, whereas serum luteinizing hormone and testosterone levels were significantly modified. We concluded that (1) type-II cells differentiate from type-I cells; (2) gonadal androgens are the major factor controlling this differentiation; and (3) the disappearance of type-II cells after androgen deprivation occurs through holocrine and apocrine mechanisms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Universidad de Oviedo, Principado de Asturias, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Colunga
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Antolín
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uría
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tolivia
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Vaughan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menéndez-Peláez
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006224:Cricetinae; D005260:Female; D006243:Harderian Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000502:physiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone