Effects of Castration, Testosterone Propionate and Exposure to Cold on the Oxygen Uptake of Rat Tissues

¹ From the Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana

Oxygen uptake of liver, kidney and brain slices was determined from intact and castrated male rats exposed to cold (2 ± 2°C) and treated with either testosterone propionate or sesame oil. Rats were treated with 1 mg testosterone propionate or 0.1 cc sesame oil daily for periods of 15 and 50 days. Another group of intact and castrated rats were maintained at room temperature (23 ± 2°C) and treated similarly to the animals exposed to cold. The oxygen uptake of the tissue slices was compared to that observed in tissue slices from control rats receiving no treatment. Castration caused an increase in oxygen uptake and treatment with testosterone propionate caused a decrease. Treatment of intact and castrated rats with testosterone propionate during cold exposure resulted in increased oxygen uptake. Sesame oil alone, likewise, resulted in increased oxygen uptake of liver and brain slices from castrated rats treated during cold exposure. The oxygen uptake of kidney slices from castrated rats was not affected by exposure to cold.