Puberty

Estrogens coordinate the systemic response during the ovulatory cycle, including the growth and maintenance of the reproductive tract, pituitary, breasts, and other tissues. Estrogens are also responsible for maturation of the skeleton and development of female secondary sex characteristics when females enter puberty. The other important functions of estrogens include modulation of many metaboHc processes (76). 

Asthma affects 3—5% of the population and is one of the most common chronic illnesses (7—9). Both the frequency and severity of asthma appear to be increasing (10—13). Acute, severe asthma has the potential to be fatal. The disease may first appear ia childhood and iadividuals so affected can suffer recurrent episodes throughout their Hves or they may "outgrow" the condition at puberty. On the other hand, there is also adult-onset asthma. These people show no symptoms as children or as young adults, but suddenly develop symptoms later ia life. There have been many reports of bronchial infections preceding the appearance of asthma. However it is not known whether these infections contributed to the development of the disease or whether iadividuals who are already predisposed to asthma ate more likely to experience bronchospasms as a result of a bronchial infection (14). 

Measles, Mumps, Rubella. Live, attenuated vaccines are used for simultaneous or separate immunization against measles, mumps, and mbeUa Hi children from around 15 months of age to puberty. Two doses, one at 12—15 months of age and the second at 4—6 or 11—12 years are recommended Hi the United States. 

This seems plausible, as the time at which gonocytes become invasive coincides with periods during postnatal life and puberty when Sertoli cells are producing high amounts of hormones. The malignant gonocytes overexpress c-kit so it is possible that they might proliferate in response to stimulation by stem cell factor secreted by the Sertoli cells. ... 

Reif, m. ring, hoop tire collar hoarfrost. Reife, /. ripeness maturity (of beer, etc.) age puberty, -grad, m. degree of ripeness. 

Sex Hormones Testosterone and androsterone are the two most important male sex hormones, or androgens. Androgens are responsible for the development of male secondary sex characteristics during puberty and for promoting tissue and muscle growth. Both are synthesized in the testes from cholesterol. Androstenedione is another minor hormone that has received particular attention because of its use by prominent athletes. 

CYP17 is the 17 alpha-hydroxylase and 17-20 lyase, two different reactions catalyzed by one enzyme and required for production of testosterone and estrogen, respectively. Defects in this enzyme affect development at puberty. 

Administration of clomiphene may result in vasomotor flushes (which are like the hot flashes of menopause), abdominal discomfort, ovarian enlargement, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, and nervousness. HCG administration may result in headache, irritability, restlessness, fatigue edema, and precocious puberty (when given for cryptorchism). 

Headache, edema, irritability, fatigue, nervousness, restlessness, precocious puberty, gynecomastia Vasomotor flushes, breast tenderness, abdominal discomfort, blurred vision, ovarian enlargement, nausea, vomiting, nervousness Same as glucocorticoids (Display 50-2)... 

The estrogens are secreted by the ovarian follicle and in smaller amounts by the adrenal cortex. Estrogens are important in the development and maintenance of the female reproductive system and the primary and secondary sex characteristics. At puberty, they promote growth and development of the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, and breasts. They also affect the release of pituitary gonadotropins (see Chap. 50). 

Acne vulgaris typically begins around puberty and early adolescence it tends to present earlier in females, usually at about 12 or 13 years, than in males, 14 or 15 years, due to later onset of puberty in males. Acne has been estimated to affect 95-100% of 16- to 17-year-old boys and 83-85% of 16- to 17-year-old girls. Acne settles in the vast majority by 23-25 years of age, persisting for longer in some 7% of individuals 1% of males and 5% of females exhibit acne lesions at 40 years of age. There is a small group of individuals who develop late-onset acne, beyond the age of 25 years. 

Susceptibility to acne is also due to genetic factors. It does not follow Mendelian rules however, if both parents had severe acne when adolescents, their children are likely to present with clinical acne in puberty. Genetic factors play an important role in determining the size and the activity of sebaceous glands, while exogenous factors such as colonization of P acnes modulate the clinical expression of acne. Racial differences also exist. Caucasians are more prone to severe acne than black people. 

The impact of gender on the onset of anaphylaxis is age-dependent. In children, boys predominate whereas after puberty this relationship reverses (fig. 3). Similar observations have been described for allergic asthma but not atopic eczema previously [41]. 

Mastocytosis is a disorder characterized by increased numbers of mast cells in the skin, bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, Uver, spleen, and lymph nodes [9,10]. The prevalence is unknown the incidence has been roughly estimated to be 3-7 new patients per million per year [9]. Most cases are sporadic with only a limited number (50-100) of cases with mastocytosis reported to pass from generation to generation [11], Mastocytosis presents at any age, although most cases occur during the first 2 years of life (childhood-onset) or after puberty (adult-onset) [9]. Mastocytosis in childhood often is self-limited and involves only the skin, whereas the course in patients with adult-onset disease is normally chronic and includes systemic involvement. 

In children, CM is normally the only manifestation, and resolves in more than 50% of such cases during puberty [23]. Most adults fall into the indolent systemic... 

ATANASSOVA N, MCKINNELL C, TURNER K J, WALKER M, FISHER J S, MORLEY M, MILLAR M R, GROOME N p, SHARPE R M (2000) Comparative effects of neonatal exposure of male rats to potent and weak (environmental) estrogens on spermatogenesis at puberty and the relationship to adult testis size and fertility evidence for stimulatory effects of low estrogen lew eh,. Endocrinology. 141 3898-907. 

---