Localization of androgen receptors in mouse thymus

Androgen receptors were found both in cytosol prepared from intact thymuses of the adult castrated B10. A male and in cytosol from thymuses of the castrated males that had been previously given whole-body irradiation with 6.0 Gy (60Co). Histologically, these thymuses were represented by the reticuloepithelial component, no lymphocytes were found in the cortex and small numbers of lymphocytes remained in the medulla. The 3H-dihydrotestosterone-receptor complex sedimented in the 4S region, as revealed by the 5-20% sucrose gradient centrifugation in buffer containing 0.4 M KC1. Free androgen and non-specifically bound androgen were removed by specific antibody coupled to CNBr-activated Sepharose-4B.