regulation (androgen production)

Last reviewed 01/2018

In males, androgen production in the testes is under the control of luteinizing hormone, LH. LH acts on Leydig cells to increase the secondary messenger cAMP; it thus increases the rate of the flux-limiting conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone.

Follicle stimulating hormone, FSH, stimulates the formation of an androgen-binding protein in Sertoli cells.

The production of the anterior pituitary gonandtrophins, LH and FSH, is dependent on release of gonadotrophin releasing hormone, GnRH. GnRH is released from the neurones in the hypothalamus and passes to the anterior pituitary in the hypophysial-portal vessels. GnRH is produced in cyclical bursts approximately every 90 minutes. As might be expected, LH, FSH and the sex steroids show a similar cycle of production. This cycle is modified in two settings:

• females - androgen production is mildly elevated in accordance with the monthly ovarian cycle
• puberty - a diurnal cycle is superimposed upon the normal cycle

The adrenal cortex androgens are under the control of ACTH. It controls a similar rate-limiting enzyme to LH.