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Fig. 3 | BMC Medicine

Fig. 3

From: Identification of a window of androgen sensitivity for somatic cell function in human fetal testis cultured ex vivo

Fig. 3

Effects of manipulating androgen production in ex vivo cultured human fetal testis tissue on CYP11A1 expression and INSL3 production. A Expression pattern of the Leydig cell marker CYP11A1 in fetal testis samples treated with ketoconazole (10−6 M) and hCG (1 IU/ml) for 2 weeks in ex vivo culture. Images representative for the expression in each age group and treatment. Counterstaining with Mayer haematoxylin; the scale bar corresponds to 50 µm. B Quantification of INSL3 secretion by the ex vivo cultured fetal testis tissue following treatment with ketoconazole (10−6 M) and hCG (1 IU/ml) for 14 days. Media were collected every 48 h throughout the 14-day culture period and were pooled for each individual tissue piece. INSL3 was measured by LC-MS/MS and is shown as ratios compared to the mean of the corresponding vehicle controls (from the same fetus). Samples are divided into four groups according to developmental timepoints corresponding to gestational weeks (GW) 7–10, 10–12, 12–16 and 16–21. Values represent mean ± SEM, with N=5–6 for each age group and treatment. Significant difference compared to vehicle control, ***p<0.001 and ** p<0.01

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