[Comparative evaluation of secretion of testicular androgens and excretion of their metabolites in young and old dogs].

It was shown experimentally that in old dogs a sharp reduction of testosterone and androstendion secretion by the testes was accompanied by a marked reduction of their metabolites (androsterone and ethiocholanolone) excretion. In the presence of a general reduction of the testicular androgen secretion and their urinary metabolite excretion there was noted a relative prevalence of fractions with low activity: of androstendion over testosterone in the blood, and of ethiocholanolone over androsterone in the urine. As postulated, in aged dogs hormonal background was characterized not only by quantitative, but also by qualitative changes, prerequisites for the development of visceral and metabolic disturbances.

[Functional and structural changes in the adrenal cortex of rabbits under conditions of chronic inflammation of the prostate gland].

Investigation of the state of the rabbit adrenal cortex under conditions of depression of the incretory activity of the testicles resulting from chronic inflammation of the prostate showed progressive hyperplasia of the reticular zone of the adrenal cortex; as to the glomerular zone, it failed to display any marked pathological changes, and the fascicular zone demonstrated some signs of hypoplasia. Thus, the normal or elevated androgen excretion observed in the experimental male rabbits, was provided by an intensified activity of the reticular zone of the adrenal cortex, despite a decrease in testosterone biosynthesis in the testes.