Lipids in accessory sex glands of immature, mature and castrated male rats.

The distribution of lipids in accessory sex glands of male rats (immature, adult and castrated) has been analysed. The total lipids and phospholipids in adult rats were maximum in caput epididymis and minimal in prostate. An intermediary picture existed in the cauda epididymis and seminal vesicle. In general, phosphatidyl choline and ethanolamine were the major phospholipids in the tissues. Castration depleted the phospholipids in all the tissues. Glycerides were found to accumulate in caput and cauda epididymis, but were depleted in seminal vesicle and prostate in castrated rats. In immature rats, the total lipids were more than that of adults in caput and cauda epididymis but were less in seminal vesicle and prostate. It is suggested that these discrepancies may be due to the differences in the endogenous titres of hormones, and/or associated with structural and functional specificity of the tissues.