The paper presents the steroidogenic features of cultured epithelial cells of @entity35 epididymis and their ability to synthesize @entity134 hormones. The cytoplasm of epididymal epithelial cells accumulated lipid droplets and contained active enzymes of steroidogenesis. Numerous mitochondria with lamellar cristae occurred near lipid droplets. Frequently, mitochondria formed a direct contact with lipid droplets and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The hormone assay showed that the epididymal epithelial cells cultured without @entity586 synthesized and released the following @entity230 : @entity2494 ( @entity2494 ), @entity251 (T) and @entity53 (E). The levels of @entity2494 and T were very low. The concentration of E detected in media of cultured epididymal epithelial cells exceeded many times the concentration of E in control media. The cytoplasmic presence of organelles and enzymes that participated in the @entity134 synthesis indicated their similarity to steroidogenic cells. Epididymal epithelial cells were capable of moderate in vitro synthesis of @entity3800 . It cannot be excluded that steroidogenesis in the cultured epididymal epithelial cells is maintained to sustain @entity53 synthesis pathways.

Steroidogenic characteristics of in vitro cultured epididymal epithelial cells of the XXXX .

@entity230 :: ('MESH:D013256', 'Chemical') :: ['steroids'] @entity251 :: ('MESH:D013739', 'Chemical') :: ['testosterone'] @entity586 :: ('MESH:D013196', 'Chemical') :: ['dihydrotestosterone'] @entity2494 :: ('MESH:D003687', 'Chemical') :: ['DHEA', 'dehydroepiandrosterone'] @entity53 :: ('MESH:D004958', 'Chemical') :: ['17beta-estradiol'] @entity134 :: ('CHEBI:35341', 'Chemical') :: ['steroid'] @entity35 :: ('10116', 'Species') :: ['rat'] @entity3800 :: ('MESH:D000728', 'Chemical') :: ['androgens']
@entity35 :: (10116,Species) :: ['rat']
