Endocrine Abstracts

Sexual dimorphism in fetal testosterone output in the silver foxLV Osadchuk; Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk, RussiaIn mammals physiological mechanisms regulating reproduction are sexually differentiated. A basic mechanism of sexual differentiation in mammals is that testosterone produced by the testes organise development of the genital tract, external genitals, gonadotrophin secretion and the capacity to display sex specific behaviour in the male dire...

At present, the blue fox is extensively studied in connection with the process of domestication and there is a need for a better understanding of endocrine processes associated with reproductive and stress-response development in this species. Plasma concentrations of testosterone, oestradiol, ACTH and cortisol, gonadal in vitro production of testosterone and oestradiol and adrenal in vitro production of cortisol were measured by RIA in foetal (47-48 days of pregnancy, n=69), ...