Bm. Mcallan et al., EFFECTS OF TESTOSTERONE AND CORTISOL ON THE RENAL MORPHOLOGY OF MALE ANTECHINUS-STUARTII (MARSUPIALIA), General and comparative endocrinology, 107(3), 1997, pp. 439-449
The life cycle of the marsupial Antechinus stuartii includes postmatin
g mortality of all males. A previous study found that renal morphology
changes during the yearly cycle when endogenous concentrations of tes
tosterone and cortisol are elevated in males. The present study determ
ined whether administration of testosterone only cortisol only, or tes
tosterone plus cortisol affects renal structure in males at a time of
year when endogenous hormones are low (May). Saline administration was
used as the control. Gross morphometrics of the kidney did not show s
ignificant differences between groups. However, some pathological chan
ges were observed in distal tubules and collecting ducts from cortisol
-treated groups, and in the glomeruli of testosterone-treated males. H
ypertrophy of the proximal tubules, distal straight tubules, and the c
ells of the cortical collecting duct occurred with the administration
of testosterone. Distension of the distal convoluted tubules, cortical
collecting ducts, and outer medullary collecting ducts occurred with
the administration of cortisol, and there was some interaction with te
stosterone. Glomerular volumes increased with cortisol administration,
although cortisol interacted with testosterone in the superficial glo
meruli. Many of these changes mimicked those seen in the seasonal stud
y with the kidneys of the testosterone plus cortisol group closely res
embling those of males in August, just prior to male mortality. The pr
esent study demonstrates that testosterone administration causes hyper
trophy of renal tissue, whereas cortisol administration can cause tubu
lar disruption in male A. stuartii. (C) 1997 Academic Press.