U.S. Department of Agriculture: Agricultural Research Service, Lincoln, Nebraska
Date of this Version
1984
Abstract
Sexually mature rams were left intact, castrated (wethers), castrated and implanted with testosterone, or castrated, implanted with testosterone and pulse-infused every hour with LHRH. Serum concentrations of LH increased rapidly during the first week after castration and at 14 days had reached values of 13·1 ± 2·2ng/ml (mean ± s.e.m.) and were characterized by a rhythmic, pulsatile pattern of secretion (1·6 ± 0·1pulses/h). Testosterone prevented the post-castration rise in serum LH in wethers (1·0 ± 0·5ng/ml; 0 pulses/h), but a castrate-type secretory pattern of LH was obtained when LHRH and testosterone were administered concurrently (10·7 ± 0·8 ng/ml; 1·0 pulse/h). We conclude that the hypothalamus (rather than the pituitary) is a principal site for the negative feedback of androgen in rams and that an increased frequency of LHRH discharge into the hypothalamo-hypophysialportal system contributes significantly to the post-castration rise in serum LH.
Comments
Published in J. Reprod. Fert. (1984) 72, 537-542