16. A C T I O N S OF H O R M O N E S
621
and claimed that the hormone directly increases the activity of proteolytic enzymes.
Wolff and Wolff (1953) and Wolff (1960) described the effect of the
female and male gonads and of oestradiol and testosterone on the
development of the duck syrinx. This organ explanted into medium
without hormones or in association with a male gonad differentiates
according to the male type; it becomes asymmetrical and forms broad
rings of cartilage on the left and slender rings on the right side which
are joined by a ventral protuberance (Fig. 11). Oestradiol, testosterone
and association with a female gonad induce female differentiation: the
organ retains its symmetrical shape; the cartilage remains at the
mesenchymal or precartilaginous stage or only develops thin translucent rings and the ventral protuberance is missing (Fig. 12). These
changes are induced independently of the original sex of the donor.
C. EFFECTS ON P O S T N A T A L O R G A N S
Sex hormones also maintain or directly modify the growth and differentiation of postnatal sex and accessory sex organs.
1. Effects of Testosterone
The direct action of male sex hormones on male accessory sex organs
grown in vitro has been examined by various authors. Demuth (1940,
1941) reports that in rat seminal vesicles testosterone propionate, in
doses of 50 /xg/ml medium, stimulated epithelial growth but did not
influence that of the connective tissue. Price (1951), Lasnitzki (1955a)
and Franks (1959) investigated the effect of the hormone on the development and growth pattern of the ventral prostate gland of rat and
mouse from young, adolescent, sexually mature and old animals.
The ventral prostate gland is a tubulo-alveolar gland consisting of
alveoli lined with one row of cuboidal or columnar secretory cells.
The epithelium is often folded or forms papilla-like intra-alveolar
projections. The secreting cells often display a foamy cytoplasm and a
supranuclear clear zone. The alveoli are surrounded by collagenous
and muscle fibres. Price (1951) found that ventral prostate glands from
6-day rats explanted into medium without additional hormones survived but did not develop any further. Addition of small doses of
testosterone propionate (0-5 /Ltg/ml) stimulated cell division, promoted
the formation of new alveoli and increased the height of the epithelium.
Lasnitzki (1955a) who studied the effect of the hormone on the ventral
prostate gland from 4-6-weeks and 5-6-months-old mice obtained a
differential response which varied with the age of the animal from which
the explants were derived. After explantation into medium without
621
and claimed that the hormone directly increases the activity of proteolytic enzymes.
Wolff and Wolff (1953) and Wolff (1960) described the effect of the
female and male gonads and of oestradiol and testosterone on the
development of the duck syrinx. This organ explanted into medium
without hormones or in association with a male gonad differentiates
according to the male type; it becomes asymmetrical and forms broad
rings of cartilage on the left and slender rings on the right side which
are joined by a ventral protuberance (Fig. 11). Oestradiol, testosterone
and association with a female gonad induce female differentiation: the
organ retains its symmetrical shape; the cartilage remains at the
mesenchymal or precartilaginous stage or only develops thin translucent rings and the ventral protuberance is missing (Fig. 12). These
changes are induced independently of the original sex of the donor.
C. EFFECTS ON P O S T N A T A L O R G A N S
Sex hormones also maintain or directly modify the growth and differentiation of postnatal sex and accessory sex organs.
1. Effects of Testosterone
The direct action of male sex hormones on male accessory sex organs
grown in vitro has been examined by various authors. Demuth (1940,
1941) reports that in rat seminal vesicles testosterone propionate, in
doses of 50 /xg/ml medium, stimulated epithelial growth but did not
influence that of the connective tissue. Price (1951), Lasnitzki (1955a)
and Franks (1959) investigated the effect of the hormone on the development and growth pattern of the ventral prostate gland of rat and
mouse from young, adolescent, sexually mature and old animals.
The ventral prostate gland is a tubulo-alveolar gland consisting of
alveoli lined with one row of cuboidal or columnar secretory cells.
The epithelium is often folded or forms papilla-like intra-alveolar
projections. The secreting cells often display a foamy cytoplasm and a
supranuclear clear zone. The alveoli are surrounded by collagenous
and muscle fibres. Price (1951) found that ventral prostate glands from
6-day rats explanted into medium without additional hormones survived but did not develop any further. Addition of small doses of
testosterone propionate (0-5 /Ltg/ml) stimulated cell division, promoted
the formation of new alveoli and increased the height of the epithelium.
Lasnitzki (1955a) who studied the effect of the hormone on the ventral
prostate gland from 4-6-weeks and 5-6-months-old mice obtained a
differential response which varied with the age of the animal from which
the explants were derived. After explantation into medium without