Androgen Binding Protein Levels And Fsh Binding To Testicular Membranes In Vitamin A Deficient Rats And During Subsequent Replenishment With Vitamin A

Abstract

ABP levels in the testes and epididymides of vitamin A deficient-retinoic acid maintained rats were only 20 and 6% respectively as compared with those in normal rats. The number of FSH receptors in the testes of vitamin A deficient rats, as measured by [^1^2^5I] ovine FSH binding to isolated testicular membranes, was only 40% of that in the testes of normal rats. Supplementation of retinyl acetate to these vitamin A deficient rats for 16 days resulted in restoration of the number of FSH receptors to normal levels. On the other hand, ABP levels were restored to 32 and 34% only in the testes and epididymides respectively