Testosterone feedback on FSH secretion in male sheep.

Testosterone-filled Silastic capsules were implanted into mature rams at the time of castration (wethers). After 6 weeks, a tonic pattern of FSH secretion was observed in rams, wethers and wethers implanted with testosterone. Castration caused serum concentrations of FSH to increase 4\p=n-\5-fold. Relatively low serum concentrations of testosterone (25\p=n-\50% of intact ram values) did not significantly affect FSH secretion in wethers, but wethers exposed to concentrations of testosterone equivalent to those of intact rams had serum concentrations of FSH similar to those of intact rams. We suggest that testosterone feedback can account for the gross differences in FSH observed between intact and castrated male sheep.