The localization and turnover of glutathione in the rat testis.

Sulfhydryl compounds have been demonstrated in various regions of the male reproductive tract: glutathione has been found in spermatozoa (1,2) and ergothioneine and possibly other sulfhydryl compounds originate in the prostate and seminal vesicles and are known t.o be influential constituents of seminal fluid (3). Little is known, however, about the identity or function of sulfur compounds in testis tissue. Ergothioneine does not appear to be present at least in rat t,estis (4), and the autoradiographic studies of Glucksmann et al. (5) with radiomethionine did not provide information on soluble radioactive tissue const,ituents. Studies from this laboratory (6, 7) on the association of glutathione with adrenal cortical function suggested that it might be worth while to seek a comparable relation of glutathione to the interstitial cells of t,he testis.