Androgen receptor in the human thymus.

An androgen binding species has been identified in partially purified cytosol from human thymic tissue, resolved from sex steroid binding globulin by gel chromatography. This putative 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone receptor was characterised by high affinity (Kd 6.7 X 10(-10) M) and low capacity (9 fmol/mg of cytosol protein). High affinity binding was confirmed with methyltrienolone (R1881). Competition studies were carried out with a number of androgenic compounds and 5 alpha-19 nordihydrotestosterone was shown to possess the highest affinity for the androgen receptor.