In vitro effects of ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid on diphosphopyridine nucleotide diaphorase in toad testis.

The enzyme diphosphopyridine nucleotide diaphorase (DPND) was demonstrated histochemically in both the tubular and Leydig cells of the toad testis. Addition of 200 mug of dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) to 100 mg of testicular slices in the incubating medium increased the activity of DPND, while a similar dose of ascorbic acid failed to do so. The evidence indicates that DHA is involved in the oxidation of reduced DPND in toad testis.