EVIDENCE OF ANDROGEN RECEPTIVITY IN THE PATHWAY OF TESTICULAR DESCENTIN HUMANS - A POSTNATAL STUDY

The aim of this study was to detect androgen receptors in paratesticul ar tissue in an attempt to explain a possible mechanism of effect for hormone treatment in undescended testes. A total of 45 biopsies from t he gubemaculum testis, musculus cremaster, processus vaginalis and sub cutaneous fascia were taken from 13 patients aged 4 months-65 years. A ll biopsies were instantly frozen in liquid N2 in Norway and later tra nsported to Hamburg for analysis. By using various procedures for stab ilization and separation, cytosol was prepared which contained all pri mary intranuclear and extranuclear androgen receptors. R1881 was used as radioligand. The validity of the procedure was controlled with rat prostate. A full saturation analysis was obtained according to Scatcha rd. The musculus cremaster was the only structure examined which conta ined androgen receptors. The results indicate that endocrine treatment in undescended testes is effective in retractile testes only.