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BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN RAT TESTIS DURING POSTNATAL MATURATION

Summary.: There is a paucity of information on quantitative changes occurring in chemical constituents of the testis during maturation. Total carbohydrate, total protein, total lipid, neutral lipid, phospholipid, saponifiable and non-saponifiable fractions of neutral lipid, and non-volatile fatty acids of both the phospholipid and neutral lipid fractions were measured.

Testis weight was seen to increase at a rate greater than that noted for body weight from 28 days (time of testis descent) to 56 days (time of complete spermatogenesis). Changes in total protein and carbohydrate showed no definitive trends. A marked increase in total lipid was seen at 28 days which was reflected by increased phospholipid and neutral lipid values. The individual fatty acids showed some changes during maturation, but the most notable deviation was in the percentage composition of unsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acids of the neutral lipid fraction showed a marked increase in the percentage of fatty acids containing unsaturations, while those in the phospholipid fraction decreased in percentage containing unsaturations. These data are discussed concerning their possible relations to descent of the testis and initiation and maintenance of spermatogenesis.