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PubMed1985

Pituitary luteinizing hormone level in the male house musk shrew, Suncus murinus L., following castration and testosterone treatment.

The effect of castration and replacement therapy with testosterone propionate (TP) on the pituitary LH concentration and contents in the house musk shrew was investigated by using an in vitro bioassay for LH, the Rat Interstitial Cell Testosterone assay. The concentration and contents of LH increased slightly 10 days after castration, but decreased progressively thereafter to about a half of the pre-operation level by 90 days after the operation. The replacement with TP (100 micrograms/day) for 7 days significantly depressed LH contents when it was begun 10 days after castration, while the same treatment started immediately after or 30 days after the operation did not significantly affect the pituitary LH level. The feedback mechanism between the gonad and the pituitary may be slightly different in the shrew from that in other mammals. TP replacement, started immediately after castration, completely inhibited the decrease in the weight of male accessory sex organs in castrated shrews. In castrated animals when more than 10 days had elapsed after the operation, however, the decreased weight of the organs could not be fully restored by the TP replacement for 7 days.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Proliferative response of seminal vesicle cells to androgen in mice castrated neonatally and pretreated with estrogen or androgen at adulthood.

Seminal vesicle cells of neonatally castrated adult mice show poor response to androgen, compared to those of mice castrated at adulthood; effects of pretreatment with androgen or estrogen at adulthood on androgen-induced proliferation of the seminal vesicle cells were examined in neonatally castrated mice. Male mice castrated at day 0 after birth were pretreated with daily injections of testosterone propionate (TP, 100 micrograms/mouse), 17 beta-estradiol (E2, 5 micrograms/mouse) or vehicle for 20 days starting from day 60; daily TP injections (100 micrograms/mouse) for 30 days were started again from day 110 in all the pretreated mice to examine androgen-induced proliferation by incorporation of 5-[125I]iodo-2'-deoxyuridine into the whole seminal vesicles. Both TP and E2 pretreatments significantly increased the seminal vesicle weight found before TP treatment. However, androgen-induced proliferation of the seminal vesicle found in neonatally castrated mice (poor response; long duration with a low peak on day 3) was changed at least in part to that found in mice castrated at adulthood (good response; short duration with a high peak on day 3) only following the TP pretreatment but not at all following the E2 pretreatment. The E2 pretreatment induced poor androgen-induced proliferation with a low peak on day 7.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1997

Effects of castration on early postnatal development of male accessory sex glands in the domestic pig.

In the neonatal pig there is a remarkable production of steroids by the testes for the first few weeks after birth. Several androgens and estrogens reach a peak at about one month of age. In order to gain an understanding of the significance of this early steroid secretion we examined the effect on accessory sex glands of removal of the testes before the peak in these compounds would have occurred. Pigs were castrated (n = 38) at 2-3 weeks of age, with littermates serving as intact controls (n = 33). Animals were killed at ages ranging from 4-12 weeks. Blood samples were taken and both bulbourethral (BU) and vesicular glands (VG) were removed, as well as the testes of intact males. Organ pairs were weighted and samples fixed for histological examination. Plasma samples were stored at -20 degrees C until assayed, without extraction, for testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and estrone sulfate (E1S) by radioimmunoassay. Of the hormones measured, plasma DHEAS concentrations were highest, but variable over the time period (304.2 and 75.6 nmol/l; 87.7 and 21.8 ng/ml at 5 and 12 weeks respectively). E1S declined steadily from 76.6 to 5.8 nmol/l (20.7 to 1.56 ng/ml). Testosterone levels were lowest but rose from 2.67 to 9.54 nmol/l (0.77 to 2.75 ng/ml). No steroids were clearly detectable in samples from castrated males. Testes weights (wt) increased fourfold, as did body wt for both intact and castrate males. Both BU and VG showed absolute increase in wt (3.5x and 5x respectively) in intact males, and each was about 2.8x greater than in castrates (mg/kg body wt). Histological sections were markedly distinctive for both BU and VG between intact and castrate animals, and a lack of developmental changes in both glands was noted in the castrates. Our findings provide clear evidence of an influence of the testes on accessory sex glands in the early postnatal life of the pig.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Effect of melatonin implants on secretion of luteinizing hormone in intact and castrated rams.

Rams were treated with melatonin implants in 2 experiments designed to examine the control of reproductive seasonality. In Exp. 1, rams (n = 12) were allocated to 3 treatment groups: 2 groups were treated with 2 melatonin implants per ram for 4 months from 11 November (N) and 9 December (D) and the remaining group was untreated (C). The seasonal increase in luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse frequency and testes size was advanced in Groups N and D. A second seasonal cycle in LH secretion and testes size occurred in Groups N and D after melatonin implants became exhausted. In Exp. 2, rams (n = 20) were allocated to 4 treatment groups: 10 rams were castrated on 6 October and 1 group of entire rams (EM) and one group of castrated rams (CM) were treated with 2 melatonin implants per ram each month from 3 November until 8 January. The other group of entire rams (EC) and castrated rams (CC) was untreated. An increase in LH pulse frequency occurred after castration. Melatonin treatment increased LH pulse frequency in entire rams and reduced LH pulse frequency in castrated rams. The results demonstrated that the advanced reproductive development as a result of treatment with melatonin implants was due to an effect of melatonin on the hypothalamic pulse generator to increase LH pulse frequency. The ability of melatonin to influence LH pulse frequency in entire and castrated rams indicated that an effect of melatonin on the hypothalamic pulse generator is independent of testicular steroids.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

[Effect of hypothyroidism on the solid form of Ehrlich tumor in intact or castrated adult female mice].

The effect of hypothyroidism on the solid form of the Ehrlich tumor in intact or castrated adult female mice was studied. Hypothyroidism was induced by treatment with propylthiouracil (PTU). Forty mice were divided into four groups: castrated hypothyroid, intact hypothyroid, castrated euthyroid, and intact euthyroid. The mice were inoculated with suspension cells into the left footpad. The tumor growth curve was determined by measuring the inoculated footpad during 12 days. At the end of the experimental period the mice were sacrificed. Hypothyroidism was associated with a reduction in size of the tumor only in the castrated animals. Although the neoplastic growth was lower, mean nuclear diameter, number of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs), and area of mitosis were higher. In conclusion, hypothyroidism resulted in a delayed growth of the tumor, but it did not affect the malignant features of the neoplastic cells. In addition, the isolated effect of castration caused only mild alterations, whereas hypothyroidism associated with castration resulted in a more prominent delay in the growth rate of the Ehrlich tumor.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Microheterogeneity of pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone in male rats: differential effects of the chronic androgen deprivation induced by castration or androgen blockade.

Testicular androgens are known to influence not only the secretion but also the bioactivity and molecular composition of pituitary FSH. In the present study, we investigated the effects of chronic androgen blockade and castration on the molecular heterogeneity of the gonadotrophin. Groups of male adult rats (five animals per group) received one of the following treatments: vehicle, the non-steroidal anti-androgens casodex (20 mg/kg per day) or flutamide (20 mg/kg per day), or castration. After 8 weeks, the animals were killed and individual pituitary homogenates fractionated by isoelectric focusing (IEF) on sucrose density gradients in the pH range 2.5-8. FSH was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in the individual fractions and by invitro bioassay (Sertoli cell aromatase bioassay) in pools of fractions which were combined according to pH intervals of 0.5 units. Bioactive and immunoreactive FSH were also measured in sera and unfractionated pituitary extracts. Testosterone and inhibin were assayed in sera by RIA. A significant increase in serum immunoreactive and bioactive FSH was demonstrated in flutamide-treated and castrated animals, whereas the pituitary content of bioactive FSH remained unchanged in the four groups. Serum testosterone and inhibin were undetectable in castrated animals and significantly increased in those treated with flutamide. By RIA, the IEF profiles of the flutamide-treated and castrated rats showed a significant reduction of the FSH isoforms with 3.5 < pI < 4, with a significant increase in the isoforms with pI > 4 only in the castrated group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Androgen Antagonists↗
PubMed1986

Effect of testosterone on gonadotrophin-releasing hormone receptors in the castrated rat: preliminary evidence for a stimulatory effect of testosterone on gonadotrophin function in the male rat.

In the long-term castrated rat the negative feedback effect of testosterone is markedly reduced and the raised levels of plasma LH seen in the castrated animals are not suppressed by physiological concentrations of plasma testosterone. In this study we have measured pituitary gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor content as well as plasma and pituitary LH on days 1, 10 and 40 after castration and noted the effect of testosterone replacement on these parameters. We found that the negative feedback effect of physiological concentrations of testosterone on plasma and pituitary LH, pituitary GnRH receptor content and response to exogenous GnRH was attenuated 10 and 40 days after castration. It is suggested that the lack of effect of testosterone in the long-term castrated rat is due to its inability to reduce the pituitary GnRH receptor content. On increasing testosterone to supraphysiological levels, the negative feedback effect was reinstated. We also found that in rats 40 days after castration, physiological and subphysiological concentrations of testosterone significantly increased pituitary GnRH receptor content and this may explain the previous findings that low concentrations of testosterone can enhance the effect of GnRH and increase plasma LH levels.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Hypophysectomy prevents the castration-induced increase in porphyrin concentrations in the harderian glands of the male golden hamster: a possible role for prolactin.

The Harderian glands of golden hamsters contain high concentrations of porphyrin pigments, with female hamsters having considerably higher porphyrin concentrations than males. Castration of male hamsters leads to a rapid increase in porphyrin concentrations; testosterone treatment of females has the opposite effect, suggesting a central role for androgens in inhibiting the realization of high porphyrin concentrations by this organ. Previous studies in our laboratories have shown, however, that administration of a dopamine agonist to castrated hamsters prevents the normal increase in Harderian porphyrins from occurring. This suggests that prolactin is necessary for low androgen levels to lead to maximal increases in Harderian porphyrin concentrations. The present study tested the hypothesis that prolactin is involved in the control of Harderian porphyrin levels in the golden hamster. Although hypophysectomy of male hamsters reduced serum testosterone to levels in castrated hamsters, the resultant increase in Harderian porphyrin concentrations was much less than that seen after a similar period of castration. Furthermore, combining the two procedures (castration and hypophysectomy) also led to a blunted increase in Harderian porphyrin, suggesting that a pituitary hormone is necessary for low testosterone levels to lead to increased porphyrins. Evidence that this pituitary hormone is prolactin comes from the observations that eliminating all pituitary hormones except prolactin, by severing the connection of the pituitary with the hypothalamus or transplanting the pituitary to a distant site (beneath the kidney capsule) led to greatly augmented Harderian porphyrin levels, in intact or castrated male hamsters.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Prepubertal changes in plasma FSH and inhibin in Holstein bull calves: responses to castration and(or) estradiol.

The objectives of two studies were to determine 1) whether plasma concentrations of inhibin (INH) changed with age in prepubertal bulls and whether these changes were related to changes in FSH, testosterone or testis length; and 2) whether castration and(or) estradiol implants affected plasma concentrations of INH and FSH. In Exp. 1, plasma INH remained constant from 4 until 8 wk of age then increased from 120 pM to 202 pM between 8 and 12 wk. Thereafter, INH decreased to 90 pM by 36 wk. Between 4 and 10 wk, plasma FSH increased from .32 to .43 ng/ml, apparently increasing before the initial rise in plasma INH. Between 10 and 12 wk, FSH declined from .43 to .33 ng/ml. After 12 wk, FSH increased as INH decreased. Initial increases in testis length and concentrations of plasma testosterone occurred at 14 wk coincident with the second rise in FSH. In Exp. 2, bull calves were either left intact, castrated, castrated and implanted with estradiol, or left intact and implanted with estradiol at 7.5 wk of age. Castration decreased concentrations of INH and increased concentrations of FSH. Castrated calves implanted with estradiol had decreased concentrations of both INH and FSH. Intact bulls implanted with estradiol had decreased concentrations of FSH relative to intact unimplanted bulls; however, concentrations of INH did not display the age-related changes observed in intact, unimplanted bulls. In summary, age-related changes in plasma INH and FSH occur in bulls. Furthermore, plasma concentrations of INH and FSH increased before changes in gonadal size were detected. The bovine testis may be a major source of circulating INH because castration decreased concentrations of plasma INH.

Aging↗
PubMed1995

Vocalization and physiological response of pigs during castration with or without a local anesthetic.

The objectives of this project were to see whether heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, and vocalization could be used to evaluate stress of castration in pigs. Six groups of pigs 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 d of age were used in the study, a total of 172 pigs. Half of each group of pigs received lidocaine before castration, injected subcutaneously over the testicle and infiltrated around the cord; the other half were left as controls. Pigs castrated without lidocaine had a higher heart rate (P < .02) and higher frequency of highest energy (HEF) measurements of vocalization (P < .05). Incising the scrotum and severing the spermatic cord elicited the greater heart rate response (P < .05) to castration without anesthetic, whereas HEF was lower during cutting of the cord. Both the heart rate and HEF data suggest that castration without anesthetic is of greater stress for pigs 8 d of age or older. Respiration rate was not a viable measure of stress associated with castration.

Anesthesia, Local↗
PubMed2003

Effect of ketoprofen, lidocaine local anesthesia, and combined xylazine and lidocaine caudal epidural anesthesia during castration of beef cattle on stress responses, immunity, growth, and behavior.

To determine the effects of burdizzo castration alone or in combination with ketoprofen (K), local anesthesia (LA), or caudal epidural anesthesia (EPI) on plasma cortisol, acute-phase proteins, interferon-gamma production, growth, and behavior of beef cattle, 50 Holstein x Friesian bulls (13 mo old, 307 +/- 5.3 kg) were assigned to (n = 10/treatment): 1) control (handled; C); 2) burdizzo castration (B); 3) B following K (3 mg/ kg of BW i.v.; BK); 4) B following LA (8 mL into each testis and 3 mL s.c. along the line where the jaws of the burdizzo were applied with 2% lidocaine HCl; BLA); and 5) B following EPI (0.05 mg/kg of BW of xylazine HCl and 0.4 mg/kg of BW of lidocaine HCl as caudal epidural; BEPI). The area under the cortisol curve against time was lower (P < 0.05) in BK than in B, BLA, or BEPI animals. On d 1 after treatment, plasma haptoglobin concentrations were higher (P < 0.05) in B, BLA, and BEPI than in BK animals. On d 3, haptoglobin and plasma fibrinogen concentrations were higher (P < 0.05) in all castration groups than in C. On d 7, haptoglobin and fibrinogen concentrations remained higher (P < 0.05) in BLA than in B and C animals. On d 1, concanavalin A-induced interferon-gamma production was lower (P < 0.05) in B, BLA, and BEPI than in C, but there was no difference between BK and C animals. From d -1 to 35, ADG was lower (P < 0.05) in B, BLA, and BEPI animals, but not in BK compared with C animals. Overall, there was a higher (P < 0.05) incidence of combined abnormal postures in B than in C, BK and BEPI animals. Although the use of K and EPI decreased (P < 0.05) these postures compared with B alone or B with LA, there was no difference between the K and EPI treatment. In conclusion, burdizzo castration increased plasma cortisol and acute-phase proteins, and suppressed immune function and growth rates. Local anesthesia prolonged the increase in acute-phase proteins. Ketoprofen was more effective than LA or EPI in decreasing cortisol and partially reversed the reduction in ADG following castration. The use of K or EPI was more effective than LA in decreasing pain-associated behavioral responses observed during the first 6 h after treatment. Systemic analgesia with ketoprofen, a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug, was more effective in reducing inflammatory responses associated with castration than LA or EPI.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗
PubMed1988

Local and general anesthetic effects on behavior and performance of two- and seven-week-old castrated and uncastrated piglets.

Four experiments were conducted to examine the effects of general and local anesthetics given prior to castration on piglet behavior and weight gain. The first experiment showed that use of general anesthesia by xylazine, ketamine hydrochloride and glyceryl guaiacolate for 2-wk-old piglets resulted in the death of 28% of the piglets and, for those that survived, suppressed nursing behavior. In the second experiment, using 2-wk-old piglets, local anesthesia by lidocaine hydrochloride prevented the slight (30 min) castration-induced nursing behavior suppression. In the third and fourth studies, using 7-wk-old pigs, local or general anesthetic did not overcome castration-induced changes in behavior. Castration affected behavior of 7-wk-old pigs for 6 to 8 h. None of the treatments in any of the studies influenced weight gain. We conclude that castration is painful for 2-wk-old and 7-wk-old pigs. The 2-wk-old pig seems behaviorally less affected by castration than does the 7-wk-old pig. Local anesthetic prevented pain-induced behavior changes for 2-wk-old, but not for 7-wk-old, pigs. At present, the FDA does not permit use of these anesthetics in meat-producing animals.

Anesthesia, Intravenous↗
PubMed2004

Routine castration in 568 draught colts: incidence of evisceration and omental herniation.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Castration is one of the most common routine surgical procedures performed in the horse, from which a number of potential complications can arise. We undertook a prospective evaluation of short-term complications associated with castration of draught colts over a 3-year period (1998-2000). OBJECTIVES: To compare castration complications in a large number of draught foals with previously published literature. METHODS: Five hundred and sixty-eight draught colts, age 4 or 5 months, were castrated in field conditions. Foals were observed for complications for 24 h post operatively. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in complication rates between open and closed surgical techniques. Inguinal/scrotal hernia rate was 4.6% (26/568) prior to surgery, and evisceration of the small intestine occurred in 4.8% (27/568). Foals observed to eviscerate underwent immediate surgical correction with an overall survival rate of 72.2% (13/18). Omental herniation was seen in 2.8% (16/568) of colts. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed no difference between the closed and open techniques of castration and the rate of omental herniation or evisceration. The evisceration rate in combination with the omental and presurgical herniation rates approached 12.2%, which is high enough to warrant further examination. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Future investigation should help to assess predisposing factors for evisceration. Regardless of the technique employed, herniation appears to pose a significant risk to draught foals undergoing castration.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Survival of patients who had salvage castration after failure on bicalutamide monotherapy for stage (D2) prostate cancer.

Patients with hormone-naive stage D2 prostate cancer often benefit from castration. This treatment, however, frequently produces many unacceptable physical and psychological side effects, especially in younger and sexually active patients. Bicalutamide is an oral antiandrogen with excellent tolerance and preservation of sexual function. Three institutions participated in phase II and III trials of bicalutamide monotherapy (50 mg daily) as primary therapy in hormone-naive patients with stage D2 prostate cancer. Upon bicalutamide failure, all patients underwent castration and were followed until death. Fifty-four patients received bicalutamide 50 mg orally once a day. One patient (2%) had complete response, 9 patients (17%) had partial response, and 27 patients (50%) had stable disease. Seventeen patients (31%) had progressive disease. The median time to bicalutamide failure was 47.4 weeks, 70.5 weeks for the responders vs. 25.4 weeks for the nonresponders (p < 0.001). The median survival time after the sequential use of bicalutamide and castration was 119.2 weeks for all 54 patients, 162.0 weeks for the responders, and 73.5 weeks for nonresponders (p < 0.0001). The median survival time after initiation of castration was 71.1 weeks for all 54 patients, 91.4 weeks for bicalutamide responders, and 42.1 weeks for nonresponders (p < 0.01). In hormone-naive patients with stage D2 prostate cancer, sequential treatment with bicalutamide monotherapy followed by castration upon failure may produce survival time within the range reported for initial treatment with castration. Thus, considering the favorable quality of life profile of bicalutamide, further studies are needed to define the role of sequential hormonal therapy in younger sexually active patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

The effect of castration on the synthesis and secretion of proteins in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced rat mammary tumors.

UNLABELLED: The effect of castration on the incorporation of [35S]methionine into secreted proteins in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced rat mammary tumors, was investigated. Biopsy specimens were obtained from 19 tumors, 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after castration. In 14 tumors, castration induced an increase in the incorporation (mean of 5-fold), reaching the maximal level after 24 h (3 tumors), 48 h (7 tumors), 72 h (3 tumors), and after 96 h (1 tumor). In three tumors castration did not alter the incorporation rate, while in two tumors incorporation declined immediately after castration. One-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis of the labeled secreted protein showed that castration did not decrease or increase significantly the incorporation of [35S]methionine into any of the major labeled proteins. CONCLUSION: tumor regression following hormonal deprivation is apparently preceded by an increased synthesis of secreted proteins. However, no qualitative differences in any major labeled proteins could be observed.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗
PubMed2006

Raloxifen prevents bone loss in castrated male mice.

Raloxifen is a selective estrogen receptor modulator which prevents bone loss in ovariectomized female mice in a fashion similar to estrogens. Since testosterone-deficient male mice also lose bone mass, we were interested in testing the effects of raloxifen on bones in intact and castrated male mice. Bone density was significantly reduced in castrated animals (1.36+/-0.04 g/ml) as compared to intact animals (1.42+/-0.03 g/ml) (p<0.01). When castrated mice with extraordinarily low concentrations of testosterone and with reduced weight of seminal vesicles were treated with raloxifen, the changes in bone density and bone minerals resulting from castration (1.36+/-0.04 g/ml) were entirely prevented (1.40+/-0.01 g/ml). Cortical bone was lost in orchidectomized mice, and this decrease in cortical thickness of the femur was prevented by raloxifen administration. Raloxifen in a dose used in humans for treatment of osteoporosis decreased the weight of seminal vesicles, an organ which is highly sensitive to the androgenic effect, decreased the concentration of testosterone (12.5+/-2.8 micromol/l) (p<0.01) but not to the same level as in the case of castrated animals (0.6+/-0.3 micromol/l), and did not have any effect on bone density or mineral content in intact mice. The results of the present study may thus be interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that raloxifen is an effective agent against the deleterious effects of castration-induced osteopenia in male mice and also support the hypothesis that estrogens may have physiological skeletal effects in male mice.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Testosterone induces vascular endothelial growth factor synthesis in the ventral prostate in castrated rats.

PURPOSE: Recent studies suggest that the vasculature is important for the control of prostate growth. Castration induces an involution of the prostate gland and its vasculature. Replacement of testosterone stimulates endothelial cell proliferation and normalizes vascular volumes and blood flow several days before organ regrowth. Antiangiogenesis treatment inhibits the growth of prostate tumors. Understanding the regulation of the prostate vasculature may therefore provide important knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for the growth of non-malignant and malignant prostate tissue. Castration induced regression and testosterone stimulated regrowth of the prostatic vasculature have here been used to study the involvement of the angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors flt-1 and flk-1/KDR in the regulation of the prostatic vasculature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: VEGF, flt-1, and flk-1/KDR levels were quantified in the rat ventral prostate following castration and testosterone replacement. Methods used were competitive RT-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: VEGF mRNA and protein levels were significantly decreased by castration and testosterone treatment induced VEGF synthesis in the rat ventral prostate epithelium. Flt-1 and flk-1/KDR receptor levels were unaffected by castration and testosterone treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Castration down regulates VEGF and testosterone induces VEGF synthesis in epithelial cells in the rat ventral prostate.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Apoptosis in rat erectile tissue induced by castration.

AIM: To investigate the effect of androgen on the structure of corpus cavernosum. METHODS: Thirty mature rats were randomized into 3 groups, i.e., simple castration, castration with testosterone (T) supplementation and sham-operated controls. One week after operation, the animals were sacrificed and corpora cavenosa harvested. Apoptosis was detected with the in situ end labeling (ISEL) techniques and DNA fragment analysis. RESULTS: The apoptotic rate was 4.19% in the simple castrated rats, 0. 2% in castrated rats supplemented with T and 0.14% in the controls. Significant difference was found between the simple castrates and other two groups (P < 0.01). When comparing the T-supplementation group with the controls, there was no statistical difference (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Castration induced apoptosis in rat corpus cavernosum, that could be prevented by T supplementation. It suggests that androgen plays an important role in maintaining the structure of corpus cavernosum.

Animals↗