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The present study was performed to examine whether circulating progesterone regulates testicular testosterone production in the fetal rat. Progesterone levels in fetal plasma were found to increase from day 14·5 to day 16·5; thereafter they reached a plateau between days 16·5 and 18·5 (80 nmol/l) and decreased threefold between days 18·5 and 21·5. The addition of progesterone, within the range of normal plasma concentrations, induced a dose-dependent increase in testosterone produced in vitro by the testes on days 16·5 and 18·5 but not on day 20·5. However, in 18·5-day-old fetuses, individual plasma progesterone levels were not correlated with testicular testosterone production in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, maternal bilateral ovariectomy induced a significant fall in plasma progesterone in 18·5-day-old fetuses; this was not associated with a reduction in plasma testosterone nor in testicular testosterone content, although the amount of testosterone secreted by the testis incubated in vitro was slightly but significantly reduced. It is concluded that circulating progesterone does not regulate testicular testosterone production in vivo although the testis may use plasma progesterone as a substrate. On day 18·5 after maternal ovariectomy, the decrease in plasma progesterone levels was similar in fetuses and mothers, suggesting that most fetal progesterone originates from maternal plasma.

J. Endocr. (1986) 108, 361–367