Role of the alternate pathway of dihydrotestosterone formation in virilization of the Wolffian ducts of the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii

Abstract

Dihydrotestosterone in androgen target tissues is formed under most circumstances by the 5α-reduction of testosterone, but an alternate pathway involves the oxidation of androstanediol to dihydrotestosterone. To investigate the mechanism by which androgens virilize the Wolffian ducts in the tammar wallaby, [ 3H]progesterone was incubated with testes from d 10 and 19 pouch young, and radioactivity was recovered in testosterone and androstanediol at both ages. Analysis of the intermediates indicates that androstanediol was formed both from testosterone via 5α-reduction and 3α-keto reduction and directly from 5α-reduced progestogens. 5α-Reductase activity was high in minces of mesonephros/epidi..