Fig. 3From: Androgen receptor expression is required to ensure development of adult Leydig cells and to prevent development of steroidogenic cells with adrenal characteristics in the mouse testisTreatment with hCG induces adult Leydig cell-specific transcripts only in the presence of androgen receptors. Adult in hpg, hpg.SCARKO and hpg.ARKO mice were treated daily with 4 IU of hCG (or vehicle) for 1 week. a Expression of Hsd3b6, Cyp17a1, Lhr, Sult1e1, Hsd17b3 and Insl3 was measured by qPCR and is expressed relative to Leydig cell number in each group. The presence of an asterisk (*) indicates that the effect of hCG was significant (P < 0.05) relative to control for that mouse group. b Immunohistochemical expression of CYP17A1 in testes from hpg and hpg.ARKO mice with or without hCG treatment . In control hpg.ARKO mice the blue arrows identify interstitial cells which express CYP17A1 while the black arrows identify germ cells which express the enzyme. The red arrows indicate a number of likely Leydig cells which do not express CYP17A1 following hCG treatment. Primary raw data are shown in Additional file 1Back to article page