Endocrinology, Vol 127, 488-490, Copyright © 1990 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Differentiation of Leydig cell precursors in vitro: a role for androgen

MP Hardy, WR Kelce, GR Klinefelter and LL Ewing
Department of Population Dynamics, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene & Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.

An enriched fraction of mesenchymal-like cells was isolated from the testes of 21 day old rats. Testosterone production (ng/10(6) cells.24 hours) by these cells when cultured in vitro was measured by radioimmunoassay of HPLC-purified extracts of culture medium. In the presence of LH + DHT there was a significant increase in testosterone secretion from 22 +/- 10 ng after day 1 of culture to 284 +/- 75 ng on day 3 (P less than 0.01). By contrast, LH or DHT alone were without significant effect. We conclude that LH alone is insufficient but that androgen and LH induce mesenchymal-like Leydig cell precursors from 21 day old rats to produce testosterone.

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