EFFECT OF GLUCOCORTICOIDS INJECTED INTO PREGNANT FEMALE MICE AND RATSON WEIGHT OF MALE SEXUAL GLANDS IN ADULT OFFSPRING AND TESTOSTERONE LEVEL IN FETUS IS GENOTYPE-DEPENDENT

Injection of corticosterone into CBA/Lac, C57BL/6J and BALB/c mice, or hydrocortisone into aggressive and domesticated rats, on days 16 and 18 of pregnancy decreased the weight of sexual glands in adult male of fspring of the C57BL/6J and domesticated mothers but increased these v alues in male offspring of the CBA/Lac and aggressive mothers. When in jected into pregnant aggressive and domesticated rats, corticosterone affected testosterone levels in 21-day-old male fetuses. The changes w ere also genotype-dependent and followed the course of changes in the weight of the accessory sex glands in adults. It is suggested that glu cocorticoids given during the prenatal period can affect plasma testos terone levels of male fetuses and the development of the sexual glands in a genotype-dependent manner.