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What Are The Variables Involved In Spermatogenesis?

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Posted on Wed, 29 Jan 2014
Question: Dear Doctor, I had steroid treatment when i was younger. Now i am very stressed because it possibly initiated 'first sperm' production, as testosterone is involved in spermatogenesis. I would have preffered if my first mature sperm cell was due to endogonous testosterone. Do you know, other than Testosterone, FSH and LH, if there are other variables involved in spermatogenesis??
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manuel C See IV (10 hours later)
Brief Answer: Spermatogenesis is not completely understood. Detailed Answer: Good Day and thank you for being with Healthcare Magic! The complete details of spermatogenesis and the start of initiation of sperm production during puberty is not completely understood up to this day. Major hormones like testosterone, FSH, and Luteinizing hormone have been established to play a big role in spermatogenesis. However there are other hormones that may play a role like estrogen, estriol, inhibin etc. in proper spermatogenesis. Animal studies are still ongoing to investigate the function of each hormone on spermatogenesis. I would suggest doing a semen analysis to check if you have abnormalities in your semen parameters. It is very hard to say if your early use of exogenous steroid had a permanent effect on your spermatogenesis and possible fertility. The body and it's hormone has a very intricate way to correct itself in states of imbalances. Are you trying to have a baby? if yes for how many years now? I hope I have succeeded in providing the information you were looking for. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications at: WWW.WWWW.WW I would gladly help you. Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manuel C See IV (9 hours later)
Greetings Dr. XXXXXXX Thank you for the answer. What about permissive factors at a cellular level? For example, why in presence of high FSH, LH, Tetsosterone during age 0-6 months is mature sperm not produced....but in presence of these same high hormones during beginning of puberty, sperm is matured? Is it down to intracellular genetic mechanisms, because in one scenario sperm is allowed to mature yet in in another its not?? Best Regards, RF
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manuel C See IV (17 hours later)
Brief Answer: The details of spermatogenesis is still not known Detailed Answer: Dear RF, Thank you very much for your inquiries and this has led me to review my reproductive physiology. On this day and time researches still haven't answered that question. What causes the maturation of sperms and what triggers the maturation during the onset of puberty? Before puberty during childhood our sperms are freezed in a dormant state waiting for the unknown trigger before continuing to be mature sperms. Experiments in rodents showed the importance of Sertoli cells in giving nutrition to the immature cell and controlled by FSH which is then regulated by GnRH from the hypothalamus. Testosterone is also important in the first stage of spermatogenesis but the exact function is still a gap in knowledge. In summary , the initial spermatogenesis during puberty and spermatogenesis itself is a complex interplay of hormones acting together that is still a question and is the subject of ongoing major research.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manuel C See IV (2 days later)
Dear Dr XXXXXXX Thank you for your valued opinion. As you know i took steroid treatment for 3 months when i was 14.5 My problem is during my first ever spermatogenesis, exogenous testosterone had a role in the process. This is causing me stress.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manuel C See IV (3 hours later)
Brief Answer: You have to get your sperm to be tested to know. Detailed Answer: Good Day and thank you for being with Healthcare Magic! I would suggest doing a sperm analysis to check if something is wrong with your sperm. If it is normal and your growth and secondary traits are also within normal then you're exogenous steroid may not have an effect on your spermatogenesis. Regards, Manuel C. See IV, M.D. DPBU FPUA .
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manuel C See IV (1 hour later)
Hello , What im concerned with is if exogonous steroid had a positive effect on my sperm...not if it affected it in bad way. Ive been advised that LH helps spermatogenesis, via its stimulation of testostertone which acts locally on sertoli cells...but exogonous steroids is also testsoterone, yet its said it doesnt help the process? Why? Do exogonous steroids not make it to the testis or something?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manuel C See IV (9 hours later)
Brief Answer: Exogenous.Testosterone reaches the testis also. Detailed Answer: Good Day and thank you for being with Healthcare Magic! Exogenous testosterone also reaches the testis like the endogenous testosterone. the role of testosterone is a complex one because it has been shown to produce sterility when given and affects sperm production in a negative way on the other hand it has been shown also to be essential in sperm production. sperm initiation during puberty and also helps helping FSH to nurture the stored sperms. the reason for this paradox is still not known. Whether your exogenous steroid using affected you in a positive or negative manner is really hard to say unless you get your sperm tested. Worrying and talking about it is just purely speculation. Regards, Manuel C. See IV, M.D. DPBU FPUA
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manuel C See IV (5 hours later)
Yes but testing now wont tell me if i had matured sperm before treatment or not at 14 years old. do sperm have different qualities for example, beginning of puberty sperm characterisitc is inferior to end of puberty sperm characterisitic? Its just a personal thing, but im annoyed my 'first sperm' was helped on by exogonous steroid (oxandrolone)
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manuel C See IV (5 minutes later)
Brief Answer: No qualifying characteristics between sperms. Detailed Answer: Good day! I am sorry to say that there is no qualifying characteristics between the pre pubertal sperm and the mature sperm. Your use of exogenous steroid may or may not have affected your sperm and future spermatogenesis. Regards, Manuel C. See IV, M.D. DPBU FPUA
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Dr. Manuel C See IV

Urologist

Practicing since :2005

Answered : 909 Questions

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What Are The Variables Involved In Spermatogenesis?

Brief Answer: Spermatogenesis is not completely understood. Detailed Answer: Good Day and thank you for being with Healthcare Magic! The complete details of spermatogenesis and the start of initiation of sperm production during puberty is not completely understood up to this day. Major hormones like testosterone, FSH, and Luteinizing hormone have been established to play a big role in spermatogenesis. However there are other hormones that may play a role like estrogen, estriol, inhibin etc. in proper spermatogenesis. Animal studies are still ongoing to investigate the function of each hormone on spermatogenesis. I would suggest doing a semen analysis to check if you have abnormalities in your semen parameters. It is very hard to say if your early use of exogenous steroid had a permanent effect on your spermatogenesis and possible fertility. The body and it's hormone has a very intricate way to correct itself in states of imbalances. Are you trying to have a baby? if yes for how many years now? I hope I have succeeded in providing the information you were looking for. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications at: WWW.WWWW.WW I would gladly help you. Best wishes.