Tag: Precocious puberty
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Adrenarche and Adrenopause
Adrenarche is an early stage in sexual maturation that happens in some higher primates and in humans, typically peaks at around 20 years of age, and is involved in the development of pubic hair, body odor, skin oiliness, axillary hair, sexual attraction/sexual desire/increased libido and mild acne. During adrenarche the adrenal glands secrete increased levels of weak adrenal androgens, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and androstenedione (A4), but without increased cortisol levels. Adrenarche is the result of the development of a…
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Leydig cells aka interstitial cells of the testes and interstitial cells of Leydig
Leydig cells, also known as interstitial cells of the testes and interstitial cells of Leydig, are found adjacent to the seminiferous tubules in the testicle and produce testosterone in the presence of luteinizing hormone (LH).[1][2] They are polyhedral in shape and have a large, prominent nucleus, an eosinophiliccytoplasm, and numerous lipid-filled vesicles.[3] Structure The mammalian Leydig cell is a polyhedral epithelioid cell with a single eccentrically located ovoid nucleus.…
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Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone for the maternal recognition of pregnancy produced by trophoblast cells that are surrounding a growing embryo (syncytiotrophoblast initially), which eventually forms the placenta after implantation. Cole LA (2009). “New discoveries on the biology and detection of human chorionic gonadotropin”. Reprod. Biol. Endocrinol. 7: 8. doi:10.1186/1477-7827-7-8. PMC 2649930. PMID 19171054. Gregory JJ, Finlay JL (April 1999). “Alpha-fetoprotein and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin: their clinical significance as…
