Androgens

Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical.

Related to Androgens: aldosterone, progesterone, testosterone, adrenal androgens

Androgens

a group of male sex hormones that cause masculinization in the bodies of animals and man. The six hormones that are classified as androgens are the male hormone itself, testosterone; Δ⁴-androstene-3, 17-dione; 1 11β-oxyepiandrosterone; dehydroepiandrosterone (dehy-droisoandrosterone); androstenediol; and Δ⁴-androstenol-1 l1β-dione-3,17. Androgens are formed not only in the interstitial cells of the testicles, but also in the ovaries and in the cortex of the adrenal glands. Elaboration of androgens and their entry into the blood are regulated by the hypophysis. Injection of androgens after castration of males leads to restoration of secondary sex characteristics (for instance, the combs of capons) and also even partially of the structures of the seminal vesicles and prostate gland. In chemical structure all androgens are steroids. The metabolic products of androgens are 17-ketosteroids, which are excreted in the urine. Androgens are used in medicine in disturbances of sexual function and during the climacteric.

REFERENCE

Berzin, T. Biokhimiia gormonov. Moscow, 1964. Page 215. (Translated from German.)

G. L. SHREIBERG

References in periodicals archive ?

The most prominent player in the progression of AIPC is the androgen receptor (AR), a protein that binds to androgens and acts as a transcription factor to regulate a wide array of genes involved in various processes, including proliferation and growth (5-7).

Molecular alterations during progression of prostate cancer to androgen independence

ZYTIGA is a novel, once-daily, oral, androgen biosynthesis inhibitor developed for the treatment of prostate cancer.

-JNJ-Zytiga Receives Positive Regulatory Recommendation In The European Union For Treatment Of Metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer

Androgen deficiency should not be diagnosed without the presence of both symptoms and low testosterone levels.

Testosterone deficiency

73) The increased expression, greater stability, and nuclear localization of AR in recurrent prostate cancers resistant to androgen deprivation correlated with hypersensitivity to low levels of androgens in these tumors; androgen ablation-resistant prostate cancers required a significantly much lower concentration of dihydrotestosterone than that required by androgen-dependent tumors for stimulation of proliferative activity.

Molecular biology underlying the clinical heterogeneity of prostate cancer: an update

Excessive and deficient androgen levels have been linked to:

interview: getting fit; Functional Trainer A Holistic Approach to Personal Training

Some girls have excessive weight gain, which is difficult to lose but, if it can be lost, androgen levels will drop and with them the amount of excessive hair.

Dear MIRIAM: HAIR'S A WORRY

HER-2/neu production is positively regulated by androgens in androgen-dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cells (Zhau et al.

Mechanisms of acquired androgen independence during arsenic-induced Malignant transformation of human prostate epithelial cells

Androgens, testosterone in particular, are essential for male sexual function.

Unlocking the mechanism of androgen action

FDA believes that substantial evidence is lacking that the addition of an androgen can improve the effectiveness of estrogen alone in the treatment of vasomotor symptoms," the agency reported last month (Federal Register 68[711:17953-57, April 14, 2003).

Estrogen/androgen combo questioned for hot flashes: FDA; 'substantial evidence is lacking' that the combo works in estrogen nonresponders. (Company Defends its Products)

Since sensitive assays and absolute threshold values of androgens have not been established for women, the panel offered the lowest-quartile cutoff as a "clinically useful, albeit arbitrary, criterion for establishing a diagnosis.

Paper defines female androgen insufficiency. (Affordable Assay Needed)

Androgen Receptor inhibitors: Who could be the major threat to Xtandi?

Therapeutic Class Overview: Newer Oral Anti Androgens - Expanding Role in the Treatment Paradigm of Prostate Cancer

Hammes and Sen speculate that if a woman doesn't have enough androgens (male hormones), more of her follicles may be dying and fewer progressing to a mature stage when they produce and release an egg.