Endocrine Glands of the Stallion Testis
The testis is an endocrine gland in the stallion. The diagram below illustrates the seminiferous tubules of the testis. The Leydig cells, found between the seminiferous tubules, are the source of the androgen, testosterone. Within the seminiferous tubules, the Sertoli cells are the source of estradiol and inhibin. The Sertoli cells also produce a protein called androgen binding protein (ABP) whose role in hormonal effects will be describe later. While many people are familar with testosterone production by the male, few are aware that the male also produces the estrogen, estradiol.
