Journal of Andrology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Houle, A. M.
Right arrow Articles by Gagne, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Houle, A. M.
Right arrow Articles by Gagne, D.

Journal of Andrology, Vol 16, Issue 2 143-147, Copyright © 1995 by The American Society of Andrology

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Human chorionic gonadotropin but not the calcitonin gene-related peptide induces postnatal testicular descent in mice

A. M. Houle and D. Gagne
Urology Research Laboratories, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The androgen-regulated paracrine factor, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), has been proposed as a possible mediator of testicular descent. This peptide has been found to increase rhythmic contractions of gubernaculae and is known to be released by the genitofemoral nerve. We have investigated the ability of CGRP to induce premature testicular descent. CGRP was administered alone, or in combination with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to C57BL/6 male mice postnatally. The extent of testicular descent at 18 days postpartum was then ascertained. The potential relationship between testicular weight and descent was also examined. Our results show that testes of mice treated with either hCG alone, or in combination with 500 ng CGRP, were at a significantly lower position than those of controls by 16% and 17%, respectively. In contrast, mice treated with 500 ng of CGRP alone had testes at a higher position when compared to those of controls, by 19%. In mice treated with 50 ng of CGRP alone or in combination with hCG, testes were at a position similar to those in controls. Furthermore, testicular descent was analyzed in relation to testicular weight, and we found that significantly smaller testes per gram of body weight than those of controls were at a significantly lower position compared to those of controls. Our data demonstrate that CGRP had no effect on postnatal testicular descent and that there is no relationship between postnatal descent and testicular weight.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Endocr. Rev.Home page
J. M. Hutson, S. Hasthorpe, and C. F. Heyns
Anatomical and Functional Aspects of Testicular Descent and Cryptorchidism
Endocr. Rev., April 1, 1997; 18(2): 259 - 280.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1995 by The American Society of Andrology.