Unsolved problems in male physiology: Studies in a marsupial

Abstract

Testicular androgens induce formation of the male urogenital tract in all mammals. In marsupials male development occurs after birth and over a prolonged period. For example, in the tammar wallaby virilization of the Wolffian ducts begins by day 20, prostate formation begins about day 25, and phallic development starts after day 80 of pouch life. Between days 20 and 40 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol (5α-adiol) is formed in tammar testes and secreted into plasma. Administration of 5α-adiol to pouch young females induces urogenital sinus virilization by day 40 and formation of a mature male prostate and phallus by day 150. 5α-Adiol is synthesized in pouch young testes by two pathways, one involving..