Formation and secretion of 5alpha-androstan-17beta-ol-3-one, 5alpha-androstan-3alpha,17beta-diol and 5alpha-androstan-3beta,17beta-diol by the perfused rabbit testis epididymis.

Rabbit testes epididymides were perfused in vitro at 36.5 C with an artificial medium containing bovine red blooc cells. Three major testosterone metabolites were formed and subsequently elaborated into the venous effluent of testes epididymibdes when testosterone-1,2,6,7-3-H was infused into the artery of the perfused organ. In contrast, testosterone-1,2,6,7-1-H remained unchanged when incubated in the artificial medium under similar conditions. Elution volume from a Sephadex LH-20 column, development in three ascending paper chromatographic (APC) systems, acetylation and development in a fourth APC system followed by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) of the acetylated products tentatively identified the radioactive-metabolites as 5alpha-androstan-17beta-ol-3-one (DHT), 5alpha-androstan-3alpha,17beta-diol (3alphaol) and 5alpha-androstan-3beta,17beta-diol (3beta-ol). The identity of these 5alpha-reduced testosterone metabolites was confirmed by crystallization to constant specific activity in the presence of authentic carrier steroid. These results suggest that DHT and androstanediols formed by perfused rabbit testes epididymides subsequently escape into the venous effluent.