Seasonal changes in the testicular lipids and after hypophysectomy in the Indian house lizard, Hemidactylus flaviviridis Ruppell

Abstract

Changes in the different classes of lipids in the testis of the Indian house lizard during different phases of spermatogenic activity and following hypophysectomy were investigated. The concentration of total lipid, total glyceride, and total cholesterol of the testis is low during the active season (November-April) and reaches a peak when the testes are regressed (June-July). Total phospholipid is high during the spermatogenically active season and is low during the regressed season. Among the individual neutral lipids triglyceride is the major fraction while phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine are the major fractions of phospholipid. Hypophysectomy causes accumulation of total lipid, total glyceride, and total cholesterol; total phospholipid decreases significantly following hypophysectomy. Changes in the lipid classes following hypophysectomy are comparable to those in the testis of the intact lizards during the sexually regressed season. It is presumed that the accumulation of glyceride during the nonbreeding season and following hypophysectomy may be due to the inhibition of the enzyme phosphoryl choline transferase.