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Adrenal sex steroids & sexual characteristics

3K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  ashubutwal 
#1 ·
i know secondary sexual characteristics due to testesterone in male(DHT) and estrogen in female but what is the role of androgens in adrenal glands??? it is convereted to testesteron and estradiol but isit responsible for sexual characteristics or it is the gonads that are responsible??
 
#2 ·
adrenal androgens (DHEA, Androstenedione), which R water soluble and weak, primarily function as a precursors for the more potent, lipid soluble Testosterone and dihydro-testosterone in the peripheral tissues so they are NORMALLY not responsible directly for the sexual characteristics BUT if their production markedly increase (as in 21 B hydroxylase deficiency and in 11 B hydrxylase deficiency ) then they will directly be responsible for the development of the hirsutism and virilization in adult female and for the development of premature penile enlargement and precocious puberty in prepubertal male ... please note that in postpubertal male they will not show clinically important effect except they will result in decrease in LH level ( -ve feedback) which result in decrease in testicular testosterone levels.

hope this will answer ur question
 
#3 ·
adrenal androgens (dhea, androstenedione), which r water soluble and weak, primarily function as a precursors for the more potent, lipid soluble testosterone and dihydro-testosterone in the peripheral tissues so they are normally not responsible directly for the sexual characteristics but if their production markedly increase (as in 21 b hydroxylase deficiency and in 11 b hydrxylase deficiency ) then they will directly be responsible for the development of the hirsutism and virilization in adult female and for the development of premature penile enlargement and precocious puberty in prepubertal male ... Please note that in postpubertal male they will not show clinically important effect except they will result in decrease in lh level ( -ve feedback) which result in decrease in testicular testosterone levels.

Hope this will answer ur question
respect......
 
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