Reproductive Androgenic Effects

DHT stimulates the growth and secretory function (sebum production) of all sebaceous glands, and thus predisposes the skin to acne formation. This DHT-promoted effect can be reversed or attenuated by treatment with estrogens, which antagonize the actions of DHT on the sebaceous glands and cause a depression in glandular activity. 

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Newly proposed test guidelines to specifically address effects on hormone homeostasis and on male and female reproductive organs include the rodent uterotrophic assay to detect estrogenic effects (OECD 2007a) and the rodent Hershberger assay to detect androgenic effects (OECD 2007b). 

ANDROGENIC EFFECTS Adrug s effects on the growth of the male reproductive tract and the development of male secondary sexual characteristics. 

This section describes effects of exposure to PCBs on the thyroid and other non-reproductive endocrine systems. Estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, and anti-androgenic effects of PCBs are discussed in Sections 3.2.5 (Reproductive Effects), 3.5.2 (Mechanisms of Toxicity), and 3.6 (Endocrine Disruption). 

Androgens produce both virilizing and protein anabolic actions (Table 63.1). The virilizing actions of testosterone include irreversible effects that occur during em-bryogenesis, that is, those that induce differentiation of the central nervous system and male reproductive tracts, and the excitatory actions at puberty that are... 

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