The G protein-coupled receptor Gpr54 and its ligand metastin (derived from the Kiss1 gene product kisspeptin) are key gatekeepers of sexual maturation. Gpr54 knockout mice demonstrate hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, but until recently, the phenotype of Kiss1 knockout mice was unknown. This report describes the reproductive phenotypes of mice carrying targeted deletions of Kiss1 or Gpr54 on the s...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between dietary patterns and sexual maturation among Korean children. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 422 boys and 365 girls aged 9-12 years living in Seoul, Korea. Three-day food records were obtained, and pubertal stages were determined with a questionnaire using Tanner stages. Body fat was measured by bioelectrical impedan...

Empirical research by scholars from several disciplines provides the basis for an outline of the process of sexual development. The process of achieving sexual maturity begins at conception and ends at death. It is influenced by biological maturation/aging, by progression through the socially-defined stages of childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and later life, and by the person s relationships ...

Twenty-nine children (23 girls, 6 boys) with precocious puberty were treated with cyproterone acetate for various periods of time ranging from 6 months to 3 years 4 months. They received an oral dose ranging from 70-150 mg/m2 per day, or an intramuscular depot injection once a fortnight or once a month at a dose ranging from 107-230 mg/m2. Both forms of therapy were found to suppress the signs ...

The structure of secretory cells and granules has been described in the mouse Fallopian tube during sexual maturation and oestrous cycle. The oviducts of newborn mice were lined with a simple columnar epithelium in which only tall indifferent cells of uniform appearance were present. In some of these cells, marks of ciliogenesis were observed. The occurrence of secretory cells showing proteosyn...

Schistosomes, blood flukes, are an important global public health concern. Paired adult female schistosomes produce large numbers of eggs that are primarily responsible for the disease pathology and critical for dissemination. Consequently, understanding schistosome sexual maturation and egg production may open novel perspectives for intervening with these processes to prevent clinical symptoms...

We previously showed that prepubertal chronic caffeine exposure adversely affected the development of the testes in male rats. Here we investigated dose- and time-related effects of caffeine consumption on the testis throughout sexual maturation in prepubertal rats. A total of 80 male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: controls and rats fed 20, 60, or 120 mg caffeine/kg/day, respec...

BACKGROUND Early sexual maturation has been associated with overweight that may persist after the completion of biological growth and development. We have prospectively examined the influence of early sexual maturation on subsequent overweight in late adolescence and assessed if this association was modified by central adiposity in early adolescence. METHODS 1605 Norwegian adolescents were fo...

This study was carried out to determine population structure, growth and reproduction properties of barbel. A total of 198 individuals were sampled. Ages of samples were found between I and VI years, fork lengths between 4.3 and 16.6 cm and total weights between 1.2 and 65.8 g. Length-weight relationship was calculated as W=0.0146×L2.934. Munro’s phi prime index was estimated as 1.95, L∞ ...

The aim of this study was to review the effect of estrogen on growth hormone secretion and the roles of estrogen and growth hormone in reproductive function. Estrogen is the main hormone affecting growth, development, maturation and functioning of reproductive tract as well as the sexual differentiation and the behavior. Growth hormone is also important factor in sexual maturation and attainmen...