Gonadarche

Gonadarche (/ˌɡoʊnəˈdɑːrki/) refers to the earliest gonadal (reproductive gland) changes of puberty.[1] In response to pituitary gonadotropins, the ovaries in females and the testes in males begin to grow and increase the production of the sex steroids, especially estradiol and testosterone.[2] The ovary and testis have receptors, follicle cells and leydig cells, respectively, where gonadotropins bind to stimulate the maturation of the gonads and secretion of estrogen and testosterone.[3] Certain disorders can result in changes to timing or nature of these processes.

  • In males, gonadarche is responsible for testicular enlargement and virilization.[4]
  • In females, gonadarche is responsible for thelarche and menarche (first menstruation).[4]

Gonadarche should be contrasted with adrenarche. Gonadarche indicates that true central puberty has begun, while adrenarche is an independent maturational process only loosely associated with complete puberty.[5]

  1. ^ Weiner IB, Freedheim DK, Schinka JA, Velicer WF, Lerner RM (2003). Handbook of Psychology. John Wiley and Sons. p. 298. ISBN 0-471-38405-4.
  2. ^ Levesque RJ (2011). "Gonadarche". In Levesque RJ (ed.). Encyclopedia of Adolescence. New York, NY: Springer. p. 1196. doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-1695-2_551. ISBN 978-1-4419-1695-2.
  3. ^ Lombardi J (1998). "Modes of Reproduction". Comparative Vertebrate Reproduction. Boston, MA: Springer US. pp. 43–60. doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-4937-6_3. ISBN 978-1-4613-7240-0.
  4. ^ a b Witchel SF, Topaloglu AK (2019). "Chapter 17 - Puberty: Gonadarche and Adrenarche". In Strauss JF, Barbieri RL (eds.). Yen and Jaffe's Reproductive Endocrinology (Eighth ed.). Philadelphia: Elsevier. pp. 394–446.e16. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-47912-7.00017-2. ISBN 978-0-323-47912-7. S2CID 239351840.
  5. ^ Klein DA, Emerick JE, Sylvester JE, Vogt KS (November 2017). "Disorders of Puberty: An Approach to Diagnosis and Management". American Family Physician. 96 (9): 590–599. PMID 29094880.