Effects of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone, Chorionic Gonadotropin and Estradiol in Androgenized Female Rats1

Effects of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) on ovarian morphology and hormone production were compared in immature normal and androgenized female rats. The action of exogenous estradiol on uterine weight and vaginal histology was also studied in single immature and parabiotic mature normal and androgenized, ovariectomized females. Estrogen production, as measured by uterine weight increase, is considerably less after HCG administration in 23-day-old androgenized females than in normal animals of the same age. Extensive ovarian interstitial stimulation, without significant uterine weight change, is seen in 35-day-old androgenized females treated with HCG. Comparable uterine weights are found in immature normal and androgenized females receiving FSH, but the former have a much greater ovarian weight increase. These findings are interpreted as being possibly indicative of subnormal circulating levels of hypophysial FSH and LH in androgenized females. Evaluated on the basis of steroid crossover in ovariectomized parabiotic females, estrogen inactivation in androgenized females is not different from that in normal controls. Also, the response of vaginal epithelium to exogenous estradiol is the same in androgenized and normal females. However, normal animals are capable of a greater degree of uterine stimulation.