Estradiol and testosterone secretion by human, simian, and canine testes, in males with hypogonadism and in male pseudohermaphrodites with the feminizing testes syndrome.
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The role of the human testis in the production of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) was investigated by determining the concentration of E(2) and testosterone in peripheral and spermatic vein plasma samples. Specimens were obtained from eight normal men, three men with hypogonadism, and two patients with the incomplete form of the feminizing testes syndrome. For comparison, similar studies were performed in four monkeys, 10 mongrel dogs, and 4 additional dogs who were given 1000 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin/day for 5 days. Plasma E(2) was measured by radioimmunoassay utilizing sheep anti-E(2) serum preceded by ether extraction and thin layer chromatographic separation of plasma steroids. Procedural blanks, which were subtracted from all reported values were 14.1+/-0.74 (SEM) pg for deionized water and 13.1+/-0.66 pg for charcoaladsorbed pooled male plasma. Pooled male and pooled female control plasmas averaged 17+/-0.71 pg/ml and 95+/-6.9 pg/ml, respectively; individual adult male specimens ranged between 8 and 28 with a mean of 18+/-1.4 pg/ml. In the eight normal men, the mean peripheral vein E(2) concentration was 20+/-1.6 pg/ml, while the spermatic vein concentration was 50 times as great, 1049+/-57 pg/ml. All three patients with testicular abnormalities had low spermatic vein E(2) concentrations (160, 280, and 416 pg/ml). Lesser E(2) gradients were found across the simian (3-fold) and canine (approximately 12-fold) testes. Testicular testosterone gradients (human 110-, simian 10-, and canine 77-fold) were greater than the E(2) gradients in all three species. In four dogs, HCG treatment elicited a 6-fold increase in peripheral and a 9-fold increase in spermatic vein testosterone concentrations; however, peripheral and spermatic vein E(2) concentrations did not differ from control values. Spermatic vein E(2) concentrations were > 4600 and 2210 pg/ml (post-HCG) in two patients with the incomplete form of the feminizing testes syndrome. Postorchiectomy, peripheral E(2) and testosterone concentrations fell precipitously in both patients, confirming the major contribution of the testes, in this syndrome, to circulating E(2) and testosterone. These studies provide direct evidence that the human testic secretes estradiol. (+info)
Congenital mesonephric defects in male infants with mucoviscidosis.
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Reports that men with mucoviscidosis were sterile and that portions of their genital tracts were atretic prompted us to investigate the genital tracts of 15 male infants with mucoviscidosis who died within the first year of life and came to necropsy. The genital tracts of all of these infants were abnormal, the abnormalities being confined to mesonephric derivatives. Hypoplastic or absent ducti efferentia, ducti epididymides, or ducti deferentia were found in all 28 specimens of epididymides, and the ducti deferentia were missing from 25 of 27 examples of spermatic cord. The seminal vesicles and the ejaculatory ducts were less frequently hypoplastic or absent. Because these abnormalities of mesonephric derivatives were present so early in life and inflammatory and obstructive changes were absent we believe that they resulted from a failure of development. (+info)
Mesotheliomas of the tunica vaginalis propria and peritoneum in Fischer rats.
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Nine mesotheliomas were found in a group of 384 mature, male, Fischer-derived rats maintained on various experimental diets in long-term feeding studies. The tumors apparently were unrelated to any of the test materials. They ranged from solid, raised serosal growths to delicate papillary structures, and occurred primarily on the tunica vaginalis propria of the testis, epididymis and spermatic cord. Four of the nine cases were unusual because there was mesotheliomatous involvement of the peritoneal as well as of the genital mesothelium. (+info)
Metabolism, sperm and fluid production of the isolated perfused testis of the sheep and goat.
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1. A total of nineteen ram and three goat testes have been perfused in isolation at 34-35 degrees C for 3(1/2)-9 hr with heparinized blood and an added 5-HT antagonist (bromolysergic acid diethylamide) and their function compared with that of the normal ram testes in vivo.2. The metabolism of the perfused testes and the testes in vivo was similar but blood flow through the perfused testes was two to three times normal.3. Vasoconstriction was produced by adrenaline and noradrenaline (10-20 mug I.A.) and by electrical stimulation of nerves in the spermatic cord or of the lumbar sympathetic chain; these responses were abolished or reduced by phenoxybenzamine.4. Flow of fluid from the rete testis continued only if ischaemia was reduced to a minimum and glucose concentration in the blood perfusing the testis was kept above about 25 mg/100 ml.; the fluid secreted during perfusion was of normal composition.5. The perfused testis showed no evidence of autoregulation and the flow of fluid was not affected by changes in perfusion pressure.6. When the temperature of three testes was raised to 40 degrees C for 2 hr, metabolism increased but blood flow was unaltered; the flow of fluid and the concentration of spermatozoa decreased during heating.7. The testes perfused at normal scrotal temperatures (34-35 degrees C) were histologically normal but some abnormalities were observed in the heated testes. (+info)
Mapping of evoked responses from different areas of hypothalamus on stimulation of spermatic nerve in monkeys.
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Stainless steel pedestal was implanted on the skull of 12 adult anesthetized rhesus monkeys, according to the predetermined stereotaxic coordinates of hypothalamus. For recording, conscious monkey was made to sit on its chair in a shielded cage to minimize interfering artifacts. Spermatic nerves were stimulated with concentric needle electrodes inserted into undissected portion of the spermatic cord and evoked responses were recorded from a number of hypothalamic areas. Responses with initial negative and positive phases appeared in the anteromedial and posterior hypothalamic regions respectively. The middle medial portions of hypothalamus showed non-conductive local activity, while the lateral regions at the same anteroposterior co-ordinates gave responses, which showed a positive negative response more on a pattern of primary sensory motor cortex. The results indicate smaller latency zones in medial part and longer latency in anterior and posterior parts, and suggest that hypothalamic excitation occurs via periventricular fiber system. (+info)
Testicular blood flow and testosterone concentration in spermatic venous blood of anaesthetized rats.
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Testicular blood flow was measured by a radioactive microsphere technique. A significant correlation, rs equal to 0.82, was found between testicular blood flow and testosterone outflow in the spermatic venous blood, indicating that factors which affect the testicular circulation may influence testicular endocrine function. (+info)
Leiomyosarcoma of the spermatic cord.
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Leiomyosarcoma of the spermatic cord is extremely rare. We report a case associated with recurrent papillary bladder tumours and benign hyperplasia of the prostate. The use of adjuvant chemotherapy is described for the first time in the management of this condition. (+info)
Morphological and physiological factors involved in the contractility of the spermatic cord and ductus deferens of the opossum (Didelphis albiventris).
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The opossum spermatic cord is characterized by a thick skeletal muscle coat, provided by the great development of the cremasteric muscle. Acetylcholine induced a powerful contraction of the spermatic cord placed in an organ bath containing Heller's solution. This contraction was blocked by curare but not completely by atropine as is usual for skeletal muscle. However, the ductus deferens did not respond to acetylcholine or catecholamines under the same conditions. Specific histochemical methods for both catecholamines and acetylcholinesterases revealed that the ductus deferens musculature, composed mainly of circular fibres, is richly innervated by adrenergic and presumed cholinergic nerve fibres. The lack of responsiveness to the neurotransmitters could be explained by the absence of longitudinally arranged muscle. It is suggested that in the opossum the cremaster could participate in the mechanism of sperm transport. (+info)