Developmental changes in testicular sensitivity to estrogens throughout fetal and neonatal life.

There is now compelling evidence that inappropriate exposure to estrogen during fetal or neonatal life could affect adult reproductive functions because the testis is sensitive to estrogens during specific periods of its development. Therefore, we investigated the effects of exogenous estrogens on gametogenesis and steroidogenesis during fetal and neonatal testicular development in the rat. We used in vitro systems, organ cultures, and dispersed testicular cell cultures, which allow the development of fetal and neonatal germ cells (gonocytes) and Leydig cells.