Postnatal development of gonadotropin binding sites and cAMP synthesis in ovaries and estradiol plasma levels in estrogenized or androgenized female rats

Abstract

The binding of 125I-HCG by ovarian homogenates was studied in adolescent rats injected with 100 microgram estradiol dipropionate or 50 microgram testosterone propionate at the age of three days. Estrogenized and androgenized female rats showed a decrease of gonadotropin binding in ovaries at the 25th postnatal day. After the day 40, however, there was an increase in gonadotropin binding capacity above that in control animals. The changes of specific binding of 125I-HCG by ovaries of rats neonatally treated with sex hormones did not correlate with either the responsiveness of cAMP synthesis in ovaries to LH or with plasma levels of estradiol-17beta in postnatal development.