[sunny86]

I always get confused between the terms - virilization, masculinization, feminization..
a)are the first two synonymous?
b)what form the components of each?
c)are the three terms used for morphology or in relation to sex chromosomal status..

I'll be thankful if someone clears these for me..

 

[khanar]

Nice question

Virilization refers to the development of Male sexual characteristics; there are three types of it

• Prenatal: which is when the Y chromosome get the fetal adrenals to produce testosterone and so virilizing the fetus.
• Normal male pubertal: which is when the adrenarchie makes the male develops the male sexual characteristic
• Abnormal childhood: which is the cause of precocious puberty seen in a male or female.
• Abnormal female virilization: which makes the female acquire male sexual characteristics such as Hairsuitism seen in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Masculinization is a term interchangeable with Virilization but rather refers to primary male sexual characteristics and not secondary sexual characteristics.

Feminization is the development of female sexual characteristics in a genotypic male.

 

[sunny86]

Thank you.. That was well summed up..

Will i be right in saying that genotypic females get masculinized due to congenital defects(21 hydroxylase defcy), but diseases developing later will only virilize them (as in PCOD)?

i'll have to solve more questions to completely clear the issue i guess..

 

[docspike]

@sunny86

Virilization is acquiring male secondary sex characters in a female or a prepubertal male precociously..It refers to a condition in which androgen levels are high causing signs and symptoms such as deepening of the voice, breast atrophy, increased muscle bulk, clitoromegaly, and increased libido in a female...virilization is an ominous sign that may suggest the possibility of an ovarian or adrenal neoplasm(As in PCOD)
Masculinization is normal development of male primary or secondary sex characters in male/development of male secondary sex characters in a female or a prepubertal male precociously..(As in congenital adrenal hyperplasia)

although used interchangeably the words in bold letters are subtle differences between the two...

Ref-Harrisons Internal Med(17th ed), Dorland Med Dictionary

 

[khanar]

sunny86,

You scared me with your new avatar

 

[khanar]

I thought only Hirsuitism is confusing

I thought the problem with hirsuitism and virilization. Now I have another issue to deal with

 

[khanar]

Musculinization is part of Virilization

Virilization = Hirsuitism + Musculinization

That's it, this is the formula

 

[Seetal]

wait,

dr.yoram said masculinization produces male primary not secondary characteristics but dr. docspike said it produces primary sex characteristics in male but secondary in female. so dr. yoram actually meant what dr.docspike said ryte?