Neutral amino acid transport in an androgen-dependent epithelium

1. Transport of neutral amino acids by the isolated seminal vesicle epithelium of normal and gonadectomized guinea pigs has been investigated by measurement of the uptake of 2-amino[1-14C]-isobutyric acid and 2-methylamino[1-14C]isobutyric acid. 2. The Vmax for Na-dependent and -independent transport of both amino acids was reduced by gonadectomy but the general transport characteristics appeared to be unchanged by this treatment. 3. The most likely explanation of the decreased transport is the loss of transporter molecules associated with the tissue regression that follows rapidly on gonadectomy.