Male Hypogonadism Flashcards
Where is testosterone secreted from?
- Testes
- Ovaries
- Adrenal glands
How much testosterone do males secrete daily and what proportion is secreted from the adrenal glands?
7mg daily
5% secreted from adrenal glands
What percentage of testosterone is free in the blood (not bound to protein)?
2%
How much testosterone is bound to albumin?
Approx 50%
How much testosterone is bound to SHBG?
44%
Do pre-pubertal boys and hypogonadal men have more or less SHBG than normal men?
More
Who has more SHBG between men and women
Women
What are the two anatomical regions of the testes?
Seminiferous tubules which synthesis inhibin B and AMH via Sertoli cells. It is also where sperm is produced.
Interstitium which contains Leydig cells that produce androgens and peritubular myoid cells (smooth muscle that surround the seminiferous tubules)
What does Inhibin B do?
Controls FSH via negative feedback
What does Anti-Mullerian Hormone do?
Prevents the development of the Mullerian ducts into the uterus (in male embryo), allowing for the development of the male reproductive system.
How is testosterone produced from cholesterol?
1) Cholesterol ——> Pregnenolone
2) Pregnenolone ———–> Progesterone or Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
Also, Progesterone ——> DHEA
3) Progesterone ——–> Testosterone
Also, DHEA ——–> Testosterone
What enzyme converts Testosterone into Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)?
5a-reductase
What enzyme converts Testosterone into Oestradiol?
Aromatase
How does the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular axis work?
1) Pulsatile release of GnRH leads to the secretion of LH and FSH (both are composed of two glycoprotein chains)
2) LH is involved in the release of testosterone
3) FSH is involved in spermatogenesis and Inhibin B secretion
How does testosterone act on target cells
Enters target cells and then gets converted into 5a-dihydrotestosterone before it binds to androgen receptors.
Alternatively, testosterone can get aromatised into oestrogens