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How Do Androgen Receptors Work During Puberty?

Posted on Tue, 5 Aug 2014

Question: Dear Dr XXXXXXX

I have a follow up question to previous thread. Regarding androgen receptors are always present in certain tissues at any age.

So why in a male baby's XXXXXXX puberty, there is no effect on voice tissue for example....is it because of local negative feecback mechanism and downregulation of receptors to prevent voice change in the baby?

Please help

Best Regards
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Puberty occurs around 12 to 15 years

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Welcome to Healthcare-Magic
Greetings of the day
Dear XXXX

Thanks for writing back.
There is nothing like XXXXXXX puberty in baby.
The puberty spurt which occurs around the age of 12 to 15 years causes LH/FSH surge which causes elevation in Testosterone. This acts on the vocal cords causing preferential lengthening of vocal cord altering pitch and intensity of voice causing typical masculine voice.

Do get back to me if you need any further assistance, will be glad to assist you.

Take care
Best regards
Dr Deepak XXXXXXX Kaltari
MBBS, MS, MCh

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (37 minutes later)

Thank you Dr XXXXXXX for your valued advice.

In male baby, i understand high testosterone is present for many reasons ie genital formation. As per endocrinologist, this high testosterone persists for few months after birth also.

My question: Since other tissues such as voice and hair follicle have androgen receptors, why does the high testosterone not cause effects such as seen in puberty? Is there strong local negative feedback mechanism in the bay to prevent these changes from occuring perhaps?

Thanks and wishing you all the best
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
The concentration of Testosterone is low

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Dear XXXX

The level of Testosterone present even before birth is in low concentration. The function of this is

1. Differentiation of undifferentiated gonads into male gonads.
2. Further development of male gonads and external male genitalia
3. Descent of testis into scrotum

The concentration of Testosterone is not high enough to cause any changes during puberty.

Do get back to me if you need any further assistance, will be glad to assist you.

Take care
Best regards
Dr Deepak XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (21 minutes later)

Dear Dr. XXXXXXX Thanks for reply.

So does low concentration of Testosterone STILL bind to all tissues androgen receptors - but without actually causing any changes??

Best Regards
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
The receptors are in dormant state

Detailed Answer:
Hi
The receptors involved in initiation of puberty are dormant. They are only activated In response to grossly elevated Testosterone in response to LH and FSH surge.

So the puberty does not occur till the pre programmed age.

Take care

Best regards
Dr Deepak

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (59 minutes later)

Thanks Dr XXXXXXX

What about when gonadotropins are very low during childhood, do these still bind to androgen receptors a little bit, but not enough to cause changes?

Or does it not bind to even a single receptor?

Best Regards

Answered by Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Gonadotropin are in very low concentration

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Greetings

Gonadotropin or LH /FSH are in very low concentration before puberty. They fail to stimulate the Leydig and sertoli cells in testis and cause release of Testosterone. So the concentration of Testosterone is extremely low before pregnancy failing to produce ant change.

Take care

Best regards
Dr Deepak

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (2 days later)

Dear Dr XXXXXXX

You mentioned receptors are dormant before puberty...then how so during adrenarche we see different kind of hairs growing in pubic area? This indicates to me that receptors are still present in hair follicles even before puberty.

Thanks and Best Regards

Answered by Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
activation and synthesis both occurs

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Dear XXXX

The receptors which are present are dormant. At adrenarche In response to LH and FSH surge there is activation of dormant receptors and also synthesis of new receptors. So that is the reason of hair growth and development of other secondary sexual characters.

Take care

Best regards
Dr Deepak

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (5 hours later)

Dear Dr XXXXXXX

I thought adrenarche is independant of LH surge? kindly could you clarify.

Secondly, what does dormant receptors mean...they are present but androgens cannot bind to them?

Answered by Dr. Deepak Kishore Kaltari (15 hours later)

Brief Answer:
LH and FSH surge is definitely required

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Greetings

Adrenarche definitely depends on LH and FSH surge. It is the surge which causes activation of Leydig cells of testis to secrete and release Testosterone.
The receptors are dormant men as they are present in primitive form. Testosterone present in less quantity fails to bring about any changes in the receptors.

Take care

Best regards
Dr Deepak

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar