Pituitary FSH Increase in Male Protein-Deficient Rats Induced by Testosterone Propionate 1

Abstract

Summary

Male rats were placed on a purified protein-free diet for 10, 21, or 31 days. Ventral prostate weights declined almost immediately, but pituitary FSH concentrations remained at preexisting levels for at least 10 days. After 21 days of deficiency, when FSH stores had become greatly reduced, daily injections of 60 or 400 μg of TP for 10 consecutive days produced partial restoration of ventral prostate weight and pituitary FSH concentrations. The same treatment increased ventral prostate weight, but not pituitary FSH potency, of control rats fed optimal amounts of protein.