Abstract
Summary
Males castrated at 2.5 mo of age were supplied immediately with testosterone-filled implants (210.5-mm2 vs 421-mm2 inside surface area). Plasma testosterone levels, libido, and sexual development tended to parallel implant size. Other males castrated for 26 days before receiving testosterone implants were delayed in development, but otherwise responded similarly to testosterone therapy. Libido and semen volume were higher in control males than in other groups despite the fact that plasma testosterone in controls averaged 1.52 ng/ml compared to 2.41 ng/ml for bucks with 2-cm implants and 1.33 ng/ml for bucks with 1-cm implants. This result indicates that testicular products, in addition to testosterone in controls, were involved in producing normal sexual development and activity.
The authors are grateful to Glenn Coulter, Linda Pierro, Michael Simkin, and Jacqueline VanWie for valuable technical assistance.
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