[Hypophysectomy and androgen synthesis in rat embryos].

Hypophysectomy by decapitation of the rat embryo at the age of 16 days results in a lesser development of the testes when examined at 18 days. The synthesis levels of testosterone and androstenedione have been determined. When correlated with the mass of tissue, the values found for the synthesis levels were smaller in the decapitated embryos than in the normal ones. It is probable that the hypophysis is active in androgen synthesis in the rat embryo at a stage as early as 18 days.