Effects of microquantities of testosterone on the epididymis and accessory glands of the castrated rhesus monkey, Macaca mulatta.

Release of testosterone from silastic implants over a period of 90 days resulted in variable stimulation of the epididymis and accessory glands of reproduction in the castrated rhesus monkey. While the weights of the seminal vesicles, prostate gland and bulbo-urethral glands were maintained at the same level as the intact control animals by four or eight implants of testosterone, those of the epididymis and ductus deferens were not affected by either dose of testosterone. Fructose in the seminal vesicles was stimulated significantly above intact control levels by eight implants of testosterone. There was no regional variation in the levels of sialic acid in the caput, corpus and cauda epididymides, but the concentrations of phospholipid and total lipid were significantly higher in the caput epididymidis. Our observations suggest there may be differential threshold requirements of androgens for the maintenance of the epididymis and accessory glands in the male rhesus monkey.