# THE EPIDIDYMAL ANDROGEN MICROENVIRONMENT

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 1993 · $120,329

## Abstract

The epididymis is an androgen target tissue and its metabolism and
epithelial secretion depend on the presence of androgens; consequently,
epididymal sperm maturation does not occur in the absence of androgens.
Androgen concentrations in the epididymal tissue extracts are high,
especially in the caput epididymis, and caput epididymidal lumen fluid
androgen concentrations are higher still.  It is the long-term goal of
this laboratory to understand the mechanism by which this unusual
intraluminal microenvironment is maintained, to understand why such high
intraluminal androgen concentrations are necessary for normal epididymal
epithelial f unctions, and to understand how those androgen interact with
the epididymal epithelial cells.  As a result, our attention has become
focused on androgen binding protein (ABP) from the  testis, not for the
sake of studying ABP per se, but the for the purpose of understanding the
androgen microenvironment in the epididymidis and its role in epididymal
epithelial function.  This application proposes to investigate the little
understood aspects of the endocrine physiology of the seminiferous and
epididymal tubule.  We will determine:  (1) how the compartmentalization
of androgens in the testicular and epididymal interstitium and
vasculature affects the availability of those androgens to the luminal
environment, 2) if movement of 3 h-androgens across the epididymal
epithelium is by diffusion or if it involves membrane-associated androgen
binding events, 3) if the presence of ABP or ABP bound to androgen alters
nuclear localization of 3h-androgens in the caput epithelium, 4) if the
presence of ABP or ABP-androgen complex in the caput epididymal lumen
alters specific functions of that epididymal epithelium (protein
secretion, Na+/K+ transport, or fluid reabsorption).  We bring to these
studies the specialized techniques of in vivo micropunture, in vivo
microperifusion, and in vivo perfusion of tubules of the male
reproductive tracts.  These in vivo studies are important since they
allow study of cell function while allowing the maintenance of normal
cellular associations, intracellular architecture, and the presence of a
normal extracellular matrix.  This information is necessary to the
understanding of 1) Sertoli cell control of an epididymal function, 2)
the biological role of ABP, 3) the role of pitiutary hormones in the
control of a specific Sertoli 3H-androgen movement.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2196665
- **Project number:** 5R01HD009490-17
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** JJG6HU8PA4S5
- **Principal Investigator:** TERRY T TURNER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $120,329
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1978-06-01 → 1995-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2196665

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2196665, THE EPIDIDYMAL ANDROGEN MICROENVIRONMENT (5R01HD009490-17). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2196665. Licensed CC0.

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