Abstract
Although testosterone-induced reduction of catecholamine content and in vitro responsiveness of isolated male accessory genital organs has been determined, the significance of this effect in altering the results and interpretation of physiologic and pharmacologic experiments utilizing the accessory genital organs has not been demonstrated. In this study vasa deferentia were obtained from sexually mature guinea pigs (SM), sexually immature guinea pigs (SI), and SI administered testosterone (SIT) (5.0 mg/ kg/day i.p.) for eight days. The responses of the superfused vasa deferentia to nicotinic stimulants, KCl, norepinephrine and epinephrine, were evaluated. Total tissue calcium and calcium washouts at various times after incubation were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The contractile responses of tissues from SM and SIT to nicotinic and to adrenergic agonists were significantly less than those from SI. The responses to KCl differed within these groups. Calcium content and efflux rate of calcium from vasa deferentia of SIT and SM did not differ but were sigimificantly less than those of SI. These results suggest that testosterone and sexual development alter in vitro sensitivity of vasa deferentia by a mechanism involving alterations in calcium distribution or binding.
Footnotes
- Received December 9, 1971.
- Accepted January 24, 1973.
- © 1973 by The Williams & Wilkins Co.
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