Question

Location and secretion of Leydig cells are
(A) Liver - Cholesterol
(B) Ovary - Oestrogen
(C) Testis - Testosterone/androgen
(D) Pancreas - Glucagon

Answer 1

The Leydig cells are situated adjacent to the seminiferous tubules in the sperm-producing organ of the man and are the part of the male reproductive structure. Leydig cells secrete the primary sex organs in males.

Complete step by step answer:
The Leydig cells are the interstitial cells which are located adjacent to the seminiferous tubules in the testes. The important function known of the Leydig cells is to produce the androgen and testosterone. The Leydig cells produce testosterone in the presence of the luteinizing hormone (LH). Leydig cells are polyhedral in shape and have a large prominent nucleus, an eosinophilic cytoplasm, and numerous lipid-filled vesicles.

So, the correct answer is ‘Testis - Testosterone/androgen’.

Additional Information: A polyhedral epithelioid cell is called the mammalian Leydig cell that is eccentrically located and has an ovoid nucleus. There are 3 prominent nucleoli present in the nucleus and also consist of heterochromatin that contains an enormous dark-staining chromosome located in the peripheral region. The acidophilic cytoplasm usually contains numerous membrane-bound lipid droplets and enormous amounts of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER). Besides the apparent abundance of SER with scattered patches of rough endoplasmic reticulum, several mitochondria also are prominent within the cytoplasm. They secrete three hormones which are testosterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) when stimulated by the luteinizing hormone (LH) which is released from the anterior pituitary in response to the gonadotropin-releasing hormone which in is released by the hypothalamus.

Note: As testis is a male producing hormone, similarly the organ found in females is the ovary. The ovaries play a fundamental role in reproduction as well as the production of hormones like estrogen and progesterone.