Inhibin-like activity in Sertoli cell culture media and testicular homogenates from rats of various ages
ABSTRACT The influence of age on testicular inhibin in untreated, neonatally hemicastrated and prenatally irradiated rats was studied using in-vivo and in-vitro experiments. In testicular cytosols prepared from 1-, 7-, 14-, 21-, 42- and 63-day-old rats concentrations of testicular inhibin could be measured with an in-vitro bioassay method using dispersed pituitary cells. Preparations of testicular cytosols caused a dose-dependent suppression of pituitary FSH secretion, whereas no effects were found on LH secretion. Testicular content of inhibin increased gradually with age, while after 14 days of age a relatively large increase of peripheral FSH concentrations occurred in all experimental groups. Neonatal hemicastration or prenatal irradiation resulted in decreased inhibin content of the testis and increased plasma FSH levels. The production of inhibin activity by Sertoli cells obtained from 7-, 14-, 21-, 42- and 63-day-old normal rats was measured during a 24-h incubation period on the third day of culture. The inhibin production per 106 plated Sertoli cells decreased rapidly after 14 days of age and the lowest production of inhibin was found in Sertoli cells from rats of 63 days of age. After preincubation with ovine FSH significantly larger amounts of inhibin activity were detected in spent media from 21-day-old rat testes. In contrast, suppression of inhibin production was found after preculture in the presence of testosterone at most of the ages studied. These data from in-vivo and in-vitro experiments indicate that a reciprocal relationship exists between pituitary FSH secretion and inhibin production before the age of 21 days. This relationship supports the concept that inhibin is a physiologically important modulator of FSH secretion before puberty, while the role of the large amount of testicular inhibin present at the older ages remains to be determined. J. Endocr. (1987) 113, 103–110