Nuclear triiodothyronine receptors in rat Sertoli cells.

The existence of specific triiodothyronine (T3) receptors in cultured rat Sertoli cells was investigated by evaluating the affinity and capacity of nuclear binding for T3. The results demonstrate the presence of high affinity (Ka = 0.15 +/- 0.02 X 10(10) M-1), low capacity (1.35 +/- 0.07 pmol T3/mg DNA) binding sites for T3 in rat Sertoli cell nuclei. It is demonstrated that, within the developing testis, the major localization of nuclear T3 receptors is in Sertoli cells.