PTU - Polskie Towarzystwo Urologiczne
list of articles:

The importance of estrogen receptors and the enzyme aromatase in spermatogenesis, brain differentiation and bone formation in men
Article published in Urologia Polska 2008/61/3.

authors

Renata Walczak-Jędrzejowska, Jolanta Słowikowska-Hilczer, Krzysztof Kula
Zakład Andrologii, Zakład Endokrynologii Płodności, Katedra Andrologii i Endokrynologii Płodności Uniwersytetu
Medycznego w Łodzi

keywords

estradiol aromatase spermatogenesis brain bones men

summary

In 1988 we were first to demonstrate that estradiol (E2) is an important hormonal signal for initiation of spermatogenesis. In the
middle 90-ties transgenic mice with the lack of genes for estrogen receptor (ER) or enzyme aromatase, that enables the conversion of
testosterone into E2, were produced. Observations of men with inherited mutations of these genes, extended our clinical knowledge
about the role of E2 in testicular function and also in the sexual differentiation of the brain, formation of bones’ stroma and inhibition
of their linear growth after maturation, the effects that were attributable to testosterone action solely. E2 is traditionally recognized
as the female sex hormone and since discovery of estrogens in early 40-ties of XX century it has been believed, that these hormones
cause impairment of testicular function or do not exert any influence. This review revises these older assumptions.

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correspondence

Krzysztof Kula
Katedra Andrologii i Endokrynologii Płodności UM
ul. dr. Sterlinga 3
91-425 Łódź
tel./fax (042) 633 07 05
kkula@csk.umed.lodz.pl