Growth, differentiation, and function of the testes in the toad Bufo bufo bufo (L.), with special reference to regulatory capacities: effects of unilateral castration, hypophysectomy, and excision of Bidder's organs.

Function and compensatory growth of the testis have been studied in male toads of varying ages, ranging from postmetamorphosis to adults. All experiments lasted 2 months, starting about September 1. Spermatogenesis was normal in sexually immature, 1-year-old toads. The fastest growing young toads developed secondary sex characteristics, the thumbpads, during the experiment. The data suggest that size is more influential than age in determining the onset of sexual maturation. But body size is not the only factor which influences sexual maturation. The growth response of the remaining testis to unilateral castration decreased with increasing age and size of the toads. Two months after operation the remaining testis had reached the size of two testes in the young toads, whereas the testis showed no significant compensatory growth in the adult-sized toads, whether sexually immature or mature. Hypophysectomy reduced body growth in young toads and prevented a testicular growth response to unilateral castration. Young toads, but no adults, with excised Bidder's organs had larger testes than the control toads. In hypophysectomized, young toads spermatogenesis was still active 2 months after the operation.