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Regulation of Ovarian and Testicular Function pp 489–513Cite as

Demonstration of hCG Binding Sites and hCG Stimulated Steroidogenesis in Different Populations of Interstitial Cells

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Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 219))

Abstract

To gain further knowledge of the mechanism of gonadotropin action in testes, a number of cell purification methods have been employed to isolate the morphologically distinct and biochemically responsive Leydig cells from the variety of cell types found in the testicular interstitium. Centrifugal fractionation of collagenase dispersed cells on density gradients of Metrizamide has been proven to be of considerable value (Conn et al., 1977; Dehejia et al., 1982). Typical Leydig cells were identified in a cell band (density 1.105 g/cm3) which contained a large number of receptors for LH/hCG and responded to the hormone in vitro by producing cAMP and testosterone. A lighter cell fraction (density 1.085 g/cm3) showed cells with a distinct morphology but little hCG binding or steroidogenic response. Similar observations were also reported in mouse testes (Schumacher et al., 1978). Payne et al. (1980a, b), on the other hand, suggested the existence of two distinct populations of hCG responsive testicular interstitial cells. The cells in population I (density 1.085–1.117 g/cm3) produced less testosterone in response to hCG than cells in population II (density 1.128–1.148 g/cm3). The binding affinity for hCG in both populations was, however, the same. All of these observations characterized typical Leydig cells as cells that exhibit high affinity binding of LH/hCG and produce testosterone in response to the hormone.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Endocrinology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, 30912-3395, USA

    V. K. Bhalla & E. S. Browne

  2. Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, 30912-3395, USA

    G. S. Sohal

Authors
  1. V. K. Bhalla
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  2. E. S. Browne
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  3. G. S. Sohal
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical College Of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA

    Virendra B. Mahesh

  2. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Dharam S. Dhindsa

  3. Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Everett Anderson

  4. University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA

    Satya P. Kalra

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© 1987 Plenum Press, New York

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Bhalla, V.K., Browne, E.S., Sohal, G.S. (1987). Demonstration of hCG Binding Sites and hCG Stimulated Steroidogenesis in Different Populations of Interstitial Cells. In: Mahesh, V.B., Dhindsa, D.S., Anderson, E., Kalra, S.P. (eds) Regulation of Ovarian and Testicular Function. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 219. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5395-9_22

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-5395-9_22

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-5397-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-5395-9

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