Abstract
We previously reported high concentrations of T in infantile testes during the first 4 months of life and a sharp decline thereafter corresponding well to the plasma concentrations of T in this age group. Testicular A was low and did not correlate with plasma A concentrations. To evaluate the significance of the adrenal cortex as another source of circulating androgens in male infancy we measured A and T in whole adrenals of 56 boys 1 day to 2 years of age. The median concentrations found in different age groups are shown in the table (ng/g adrenal tissue):
The decrease of adrenal androgen concentrations during the first year of life parallels the involution of the adrenal fetal zone. There is a close correlation between the adrenal and the plasma concentrations of A but not of T. If we compare the total content of A and T in testes and adrenals we find at least 10 times more A in the adrenals than in the testes during the first 2 years of age. The testes contain more T than the adrenals only during the first 4 months. Thus we find that the adrenals are a major source of A during the first 2 years, after the 6th month of life they seem to be the main source even of T.
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Bidlingmaier, F., Eisenmenger, W., Dorr, H. et al. 85 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ADRENALS AND THE TESTES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TESTOSTERONE (T) AND ANDROSTENEDIONE (A) DURING MALE INFANCY. Pediatr Res 19, 617 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198506000-00105
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198506000-00105