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Androgens and Androgen Receptor pp 1–15Cite as

Androgen Biosynthesis And Degradation

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Abstract

Androgens are important male sex steroid hormones that exert many physiological functions leading to the male characteristics and other phenotypes. The major circulating androgen is testosterone (T) in the human (Tabel 1). T is synthesized mainly by the Leydig cells of the testis. It has functions of inducing virilization of internal sex organs, including testis and Wolffian duct derivatives such as epididymis, vas deferens, and seminal vesicles. Circulating T also plays an important role in the hypothalamus-pituitary-testis loop to maintain proper amounts of sex steroids. The regulation of androgen production will be detailed in the following section.

Table 1. Major types of androgens, function and site of production
Full size table

Keywords

  • Sertoli Cell
  • Leydig Cell
  • Seminiferous Tubule
  • Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
  • Secondary Sexual Characteristic

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chung Bon-chu & Hu Meng-Chun

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  1. Chung Bon-chu
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  2. Hu Meng-Chun
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Rochester Medical Center, UK

    Chawnshang Chang

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Bon-chu, C., Meng-Chun, H. (2002). Androgen Biosynthesis And Degradation. In: Chang, C. (eds) Androgens and Androgen Receptor. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1161-8_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1161-8_1

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