Histophysiological studies on sex steroid induced changes in the interrenals of the male frog Rana cyanophlyctis (Schn.).

Abstract

Administration (i.m.) of either estradiol-17 beta (0.5 microgram/frog) or progesterone (10 micrograms/frog) on alternate days for 15 days to adult male frogs induced the following changes in the interrenal cells: i) nuclear and cellular hypertrophy, ii) increase in the activity of delta 5-3 beta-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenase and iii) decrease in sudanophilic lipid droplets. Treatment with testosterone propionate (100 micrograms/frog) dit not elicit marked changes in the above parameters. These results demonstrate that some sex steroids modify the interrenal gland steroidogenic activity in R. cyanophlyctis.