Female birds deposit significant amounts of steroid hormones into the yolks of their eggs. Studies have demonstrated that these hormones, particularly androgens, affect nestling growth and development. In order to measure androgen concentrations in avian egg yolks, most authors follow the extraction methods outlined by Schwabl (1993. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 90:11446-11450). We describe a simp...

Androgens regulate aromatase activity in the medial preoptic area and other components of the brain circuit that mediates male sexual behavior. The levels of aromatase activity within these brain regions are greater in males than in females. As the activation of copulation requires aromatization of testosterone to estradiol, this quantitative enzymatic difference between sexes could contribute ...

Testicular descent is an essential part of normal male sexual development. Any anomaly that disrupts normal testicular descent will be clinically evident as cryptorchidism. Several factors, such as Hoxa-10, epidermal growth factor (EGF), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and hormones, especially androgens and insulin-like factor 3 (INSL-3), have been suggested as being regulators of testi...

Hirsutism may be defined as the presence of terminal hair in the women, with a male pattern of distribution. The clinical presentation is variable, from isolated hirsutism to the presence of other signs of hyperandrogenism, menstrual irregularities and/or infertility. Hirsutism is related to serum androgens and to the cutaneous sensitivity to these hormones. The most prevalent causes of hirsuti...

Nearly all men with advanced prostate cancer will receive androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) as primary treatment. Fortunately, the majority of men treated with ADT will experience objective disease response; however, these men are also likely to experience the adverse effects of ADT, such as fatigue, sexual dysfunction, decreased bone mineral density, and increased risk of cardiovascular morbi...

Prostate cancer development and progression is the result of complex interactions between epithelia cells and fibroblasts/myofibroblasts, in a series of dynamic process amenable to regulation by hormones. Whilst androgen action through the androgen receptor (AR) is a well-established component of prostate cancer biology, it has been becoming increasingly apparent that changes in AR signalling i...

Breast and prostate cancers are among the most common of all cancers. They are referred to as hormone-dependent cancers, because estrogen and androgen are involved in their development and growth. The effects of these hormones are mediated by their respective receptors, estrogen receptor (ER) α and androgen receptor. Around 18 years ago, a second ER, ERβ, which has a very similar structure to E...

Adipose tissue, where various metabolic hormones are secreted, plays a role in metabolizing different substances including androgen. Within fat tissue, enzymes such as aromatase and aldo-keto reductase 1C are responsible for metabolizing testosterone into estrogen and 5-dihydrotestosterone into inactive metabolites. Adipose tissue can also affect the secretion of gonadotropin, which influences ...

Genetic, gonadal, phenotypic and psychological genderis the basis for gender assignment to an individual. Derangement in genetic makeup, under or over exposure to sex hormones and problems related to sex hormone receptors will lead to abnormal development of the external and internal genitalia. Failure to respond for the endogenous androgen, Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome is one of the common ...

Many important psychological characteristics show sex differences, and are influenced by sex hormones at different developmental periods. We focus on the role of sex hormones in early development, particularly the differential effects of prenatal androgens on aspects of gender development. Increasing evidence confirms that prenatal androgens have facilitative effects on male-typed activity inte...