Autoradiographic localization of tritium-labeled dihydrotestosterone in human vas deferens

The human vas deferens was examined autoradiographically for the presence and distribution of androgen receptors. Samples of vas deferens from the region proximal to the testis and the region at the internal inguinal ring were incubated in vitro with tritium-labeled dihydrotestosterone ([3H]-DHT). Frozen sections of tissue were mounted on autoradiographic emulsion-coated slides and exposed for up to three weeks to demonstrate cells with nuclear accumulations of radioactive hormone. Quantitation of autoradiograms was performed with a Zeiss Videoplan morphometric analysis system. Cells in all five tissue layers of the vas deferens were able to bind androgen receptors in the nucleus, as evidenced by superimposition of silver grains over the nuclei of cells in external, middle, and internal smooth muscle layers, as well as in epithelial and subepithelial stromal cells.