Application: EIA, RIA
Clonality: Polyclonal
Host: Rabbit
Purification: Serum
Reactivity: Human, Mouse, Rat, Bovine, Chicken
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and an anabolic steroid. In male humans, testosterone plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as testes and prostate, as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle and bone mass, and the growth of body hair.[3] In addition, testosterone is involved in health and well-being,[4] and the prevention of osteoporosis.[5] Insufficient levels of testosterone in men may lead to abnormalities including frailty and bone loss. Testosterone is a steroid from the androstane class containing a keto and hydroxyl groups at the three and seventeen positions respectively. It is biosynthesized in several steps from cholesterol and is converted in the liver to inactive metabolites.[6] It exerts its action through binding to and activation of the androgen receptor.[6] In humans and most other vertebrates, testosterone is secreted primarily by the testicles of males and, to a lesser extent, the ovaries of females. On average, in adult males, levels of testosterone are about 7 to 8 times as great as in adult females.[7] As the metabolism of testosterone in males is more pronounced, the daily production is about 20 times greater in men.[8][9] Females are also more sensitive to the hormone.[10] In addition to its role as a natural hormone, testosterone is used as a medication, for instance in the treatment of low testosterone levels in men, hormone replacement therapy in transgender men, and breast cancer in women.[11] Since testosterone levels decrease as men age, testosterone is sometimes used in older men to counteract this deficiency. It is also used illicitly to enhance physique and performance, for instance in athletes. In general, androgens such as testosterone promote protein synthesis and thus growth of tissues with androgen receptors.[12] Testosterone can be described as having virializing and anabolic effects (though these categorical descriptions are somewhat arbitrary, as there is a great deal of mutual overlap between them).[13]
- Anabolic effects include growth of muscle mass and strength, increased bone density and strength, and stimulation of linear growth and bone maturation.
- Androgenic effects include maturation of the sex organs, particularly the penis and the formation of the scrotum in the fetus, and after birth (usually at puberty) a deepening of the voice, growth of facial hair (such as the beard) and axillary (underarm) hair. Many of these fall into the category of male secondary sex characteristics.
Testosterone effects can also be classified by the age of usual occurrence. For postnatal effects in both males and females, these are mostly dependent on the levels and duration of circulating free testosterone. [from: Wikipedia contributors. (2019, June 2). Testosterone. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20:39, June 3, 2019, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Testosterone&oldid=899958411]