Studies on the Male Reproductive Physiology of Primates with Special Reference to Fertility Regulation

Abstract

Although the response of the monkey testis to mammalian ganodotropins has been demonstrated previously (Plant and Micheal, 1973; Goodman et al. 1974; Arslan et al. 1978a, b; wickings & nieschlag 1978), yet our existing knowledge regarding the specifically of FSH and LH in regulating spermatogenesis in this animal remains inadequate. Studies carried out mainly in laboratory rodents have shown that function of interstitial cell is regulated by LH and that of Sertoli cell by FSH (see Purvis & Hansson 1978; Means et al. 1978). Available evidence indicates that both androgen and oestrogen production may be related to the activity of interstitial cells (Valladares & Payne 1979). Sertoli cell has been suggested as the main site of aromatization at least in the immature rat (Dorrington et al. 1978; Pomerantz 1979; Van Damme et al. 1979). The extended testicular quiescence and relatively low circulating levels of ganodotropins during the juvenile and early prepubertal phase in the rhesus monkey (Rose et al. 1978; Wickings et al. 1979; Arslan et al. 1980) provide a convenient model for studying the effects of different gonadotropins. In the study, we are reporting data on testicular histology and testosterone and oestradiol concentrations in the testis and plasma of immature monkey treated with oFSH, oLH, hCG and PMSG. An atempt has also been made to correlate morphological changes in the testis with testosterone and oestradiol levels following gonadotropin stimulation.