Functional and Structural Aspects of the Rat Seminiferous Tubules after Treatment with Exogenous Cyproterone Acetate, Testosterone, Progesterone and Oestradiol

Cyproterone acetate, testosterone propionate, progesterone and oestradiol were given to adult rats for 30 days, and the effects on the seminiferous tubules were studied. The contractility of the seminiferous tubules was not affected by cyproterone acetate or progesterone, but was totally abolished by testosterone and oestradiol. The effects of these steroids on spermatogenesis were studied histologically and electron microscopically.
Cyproterone acetate was observed to induce a clear-cut increase in the lipid content of the Sertoli cells and mitochondrial changes in all stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium.
The increase of lipid content was smaller with progesterone. Oestradiol caused an accumulation of phagocytosed lipid material in Sertoli cells. These steroids did not change the protein composition of the rete testis fluid.