Use of neonatal porcine testis to study gonadotropin and growth factor control of steroidogenesis Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The ability of neonatal (1-day-old) porcine Leydig cells to respond to gonadotropins and growth factors when maintained in primary culture under serum-free conditions was examined. Also, the immunolocalization of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF) in the neonatal boar testis was demonstrated. Porcine luteinizing hormone (pLH), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), forskolin and dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate each increased testosterone and estradiol production (P < 0.05). Production of cAMP and pregnenolone (but not progesterone) was stimulated (P < 0.05) by pLH. Addition of pFSH did not affect basal or pLH-stimulated steroidogenesis. Recombinant humantrans forming growth factor alpha (TGF) and recombinant human epidermal growth factor (EGF) increased testosterone production in a time-related manner. Interstitial cells but not seminiferous tubule cells were immunopositive for TGF. Neonatal boar Leydig cells can be used in primary culture systems in which serum and exogenous growth factors are not added for maintenance purposes. Such model systems may facilitate examination of the direct influences of hormones, vitamins, growth factor and cytokines on steroidogenesis.

published proceedings

  • Molecular Andrology

author list (cited authors)

  • Nolan, C. J., Blackwell, J. L., French, J. T., Gardner, F. C., Knabe, D. A., Randel, R. D., ... Welsh, J.

complete list of authors

  • Nolan, CJ||Blackwell, JL||French, JT||Gardner, FC||Knabe, DA||Randel, RD||Jaeger, LA||Johnson, L||Welsh, J

publication date

  • January 1996