EFFECT OF TESTOSTERONE ON PURINE METABOLISM AND MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS IN THE RAT-LIVER

The effect of testosterone on the morphology and biochemistry of adult castrated rat liver is described. Castration decreases mean weight an d volume of hepatocytes, volume and surface area of sinusoidal lumen, and apparently increases cell number per g of tissue. These variations indicate cell distress. Testosterone administration restored sinusoid al volume and surface area, indicating a true hyperplastic response an d improved trophic conditions. Acid soluble nucleotides, RNA and DNA c ontent were lower after castration, being partially restored after tes tosterone treatment. This restoration, however, was only statistically significant for total guanylate. We concluded that testosterone defic iency and administration exerts a specific effect on the liver in term s of morphological and biochemical changes. Purine nucleotide metaboli sm is probably the first target of hormonal action, since its changes are the most significant and useful to explain all the other observati ons.