17 alpha-oestradiol and 17 beta-oestradiol do not affect basal and follicle-stimulating hormone-stimulated inhibin B secretion by highly purified ratSertoli cells

The effects of 17 alpha -oestradiol and 17 beta -oestradiol on basal and fo llicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-stimulated inhibin B secretion by rat Sert oli cells were studied. Sertoli cells were isolated and cultivated from tes tes of 18-day-old Wistar rats in the presence and absence of FSH and differ ent doses of oestrogens. On day 4 of culture, secreted inhibin was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Neither 17 alpha -oestradiol nor 17 beta -oestradiol had any effect on the secreted inhibin level in either the presence or absence of FSH. It is concluded that these oestradiols do not play an essential role in regulatory processes involving inhibin or FSH.