Androgen

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/androgen

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the biosynthetic origin?Synthesized in testes, ovaries, and adrenal glands from cholesterol precursors
2. What is the primary androgen in males?Testosterone, with Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) being a more potent metabolite
3. What are androgens and what do they do?Androgens are natural hormones that help build muscles, make boys grow taller, and give them voice changes and body hair. They also help make red blood cells and keep bones strong.
4. Where do androgens come from in our bodies?In boys, they are made mainly in the testes, and in girls they are made mainly in the ovaries. Both boys and girls also get a little from the adrenal glands.

Endogenous Steroid Hormone: A naturally occurring hormone produced within the body, derived from cholesterol.
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) Axis: The complex feedback system regulating reproductive functions and hormone production.
5-alpha-reductase: An enzyme that converts testosterone into the more potent androgen, dihydrotestosterone (DHT).