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Metabolism of [3H]androstenedione was studied in brain tissue homogenates of opossum, bird, snake, sea turtle, urodele amphibian, teleost, shark, skate, hagfish, and lobster. Estrone, 17 beta-estradiol, or 17 alpha-estradiol was formed by central neural tissues of all species, with the exception of the opossum, hagfish, and lobster. Aromatase activity was concentrated in the forebrain, although some estrogen was synthesized by mid- or hindbrain homogenates of two lower vertebrates (teleost and skate) and the newly hatched chick. 5 alpha-Androstanedione (5 alpha-androstane-3,17-dione) or 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone were products of metabolism in several nonmammalian vertebrates and in the invertebrate central nervous system also. 5 alpha-Reductase was found in all major brain divisions. These and previously reported comparative studies indicate that the ability to aromatize and otherwise transform androgen substrates is a primitive characteristic of the brain that has been widely conserved phylogenetically.

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Granulosa and thecal cells were isolated from 2 human ovarian follicles and the separated and recombined cells were incubated in vitro with acetate-l-14 C. Radioactively labeled cholesterol, pregnenolone, progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione and estrone were isolated in radiochemically pure form from each of the experimental situations utilizing either granulosa, theca or a mixture of the 2 cell types. In addition, labeled dehydroepiandrosterone was isolated only from the incubation with granulosa cells, while labeled estradiol-17/3 was isolated only from the thecal cell and recombined studies. (J Clin Endocr 28: 355, 1968)