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Endocrine Regulation of Male Reproduction

  • Chapter
Male Reproductive Function

Part of the book series: Mineralogical Society Series ((ENDO,volume 5))

Abstract

The two functions of the testis are androgen production and spermatogenesis. The key role in the regulation of these functions is played by the two pituitary gonadotropins, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), as supported by a vast number of experimental and clinical data. These facts have recently been corroborated by findings on patients with inactivating mutations of the gonadotropin or gonadotropin receptor genes, and by transgenic and knock-out mouse models. Besides gonadotropins, a number of other hormones contribute to testicular regulation, and there is a plethora of paracrine and autocrine regulatory effects between and within the different testicular cell compartments (see Chapter 3). However, the physiological role of these regulatory mechanisms, so far mostly demonstrated in vitro, has only recently started emerging.

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  1. University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, Turku, Finland

    I. T. Huhtaniemi

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  1. Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA

    Christina Wang M.D.

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© 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Huhtaniemi, I.T. (1999). Endocrine Regulation of Male Reproduction. In: Wang, C. (eds) Male Reproductive Function. Mineralogical Society Series, vol 5. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-585-38145-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-585-38145-9_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-8520-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-585-38145-9

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