Steroid metabolism by monkey and human spermatozoa

• Published in: Steroids Vol. 41; no. 5; pp. 587 - 595
• Main Authors: Rajalakshmi, M., Sehgal, A., Pruthi, J.S., Kumar, T.C.Anand
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.05.1983; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Androstenedione - metabolism; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Estradiol - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Macaca mulatta; Male; Species Specificity; Spermatozoa - metabolism; Steroid hormones. Cholecalciferol derivatives; Testosterone - metabolism; Tritium; Vertebrates: endocrinology; Human; Animal model; Spermatozoa; Androgen; Estrogen; Monkey; Metabolism; Male genital system; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Primates; Sex steroid hormone; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0039-128X; 1878-5867
• DOI: 10.1016/0039-128X(83)90024-7

Freshly ejaculated spermatozoa from monkey and human were washed and incubated with tritium labelled androgens or estradiol to study the pattern of spermatozoan steroid metabolism. When equal concentrations of steroid substrates were used for incubation, monkey and human spermatozoa showed very similar pattern of steroid conversion. Spermatozoa from both species converted testosterone mainly to androstenedione, but reverse conversion of androstenedione to testosterone was negligible. Estradiol-17β was converted mainly to estrone. The close similarity between the spermatozoa of monkey and men in their steroid metabolic pattern indicates that the rhesus monkey could be an useful animal model to study the effect of drugs on the metabolic pattern of human spermatozoa.