Expression of androgen receptor protein within the lumbar spinal cord during ontologic development and following antiandrogen induced cryptorchidism

M. P. Cain, S. A. Kramer, D. J. Tindall, D. A. Husmann

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

One of the leading hypotheses regarding androgenic regulation of testicular descent is that the lumbar genitofemoral nucleus is morphologically altered by testosterone during a specific prenatal period. This hypothesis is based on the unproved assumption that androgen receptor is present in the fetal spinal cord. Using immunohistochemistry we identified androgen receptor in the rat lumbar spinal cord on gestational day 15, a day before the onset of maximal androgenic action for testicular descent. Experiments were performed to determine whether alterations in the morphology of the genitofemoral nucleus are associated with flutamide induced cryptorchidism. Studies revealed a reduction of motoneuron number in rats with flutamide induced cryptorchidism (124.2 ± 18.9) compared to rats exposed to flutamide without cryptorchidism (269.3 ± 20.2) and/or male controls (291.0 ± 14.5, p <0.01). These findings support the hypothesis that androgens can directly regulate development and morphology of the genitofemoral nucleus.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)766-769
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Urology
Volume152
Issue number2 II
DOIs
StatePublished - 1994

Keywords

  • crytorchism
  • flutamide
  • receptors, androgen
  • testis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Urology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Expression of androgen receptor protein within the lumbar spinal cord during ontologic development and following antiandrogen induced cryptorchidism'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this