Synthesis and Metabolism of Testosterone in the Fetal Rat Testis1

Abstract

At 19.5 days of intrauterine life the fetal rat testis possesses the necessary enzymes for converting radioactive acetate to radioactive cholesterol, androstenedione, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. The only sterol formed from acetate in the fetal rat ovary at this time is cholesterol. The relative activities of 5α-reductase in the fetal rat testis, ovary, Wolffian duct and Müllerian duct were determined and the significance of these results discussed.