Functional activity of rat testicular cells in culture.

Testicular cells from adult hypophysectomized rats were cultured for 10 or 12 days, and the effect of treatment with hCG (10 ng/ml) on testosterone and progesterone production and the activity of the Leydig cell enzyme, 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, were studied. Regardless of hormone treatment, on 4th day in culture a decline in the steroidogenic activity of cultured cells could be observed. Treatment with hCG resulted in stimulation of steroidogenesis on days 6 to 10 in culture, as measured by testosterone and progesterone production. Hormone treatment stimulated or inhibited the enzyme activity depending on the presence or absence in the culture medium of 10(-6) M spironolactone, an inhibitor of 17 alpha-hydroxylase, or an anti-androgen, cyproterone acetate.