[The effect of androgens upon the differentiation of Cowper and Bartholin glands in rat fetuses (author's transl)].

Abstract

In the present paper, a study is made of the normal structure shown in Bartholin and Cowper glands of 100 female fetuses and 100 male fetuses of Wistar rats at the end of gestation, with the structure of bulbouretral glands that formed in 70 female fetuses of the same species and period of gestation masculinized by androgens. In relation to the Bartholin glands, whose bilateral sketch is constant in the fetuses, we can affirm that it shows significant differences of structure with regards to the sketch of the Cowper gland. On the opposite, the histologycal details of the latter, are entirely identical to those shown by the bulbouretral glands of the masculinized female fetuses, a fact which permits us to affirm that these are authentic Cowper glands, not only because of their position, but also because of their structure. This morphological data corresponds to a masculinization phenomenon and demonstrates that the Bartholin and Cowper glands are very sensitive to the effect of androgens during gestation.