[Plasma androgens and maturation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis in infants and children (author's transl)].

The plasma androgens testosterone (T) and delta(4)-androstenedione (delta(4)) were measured by RIA in 245 children under 1 year of age, in 70 children of prepubertal age, and in 250 adolescents during puberty. The values presented in the tables, and their changing relation to each other, suggest, that 1. at birth T and delta(4) are of fetal origin demonstrating the important endocrine function of the fetal testis; 2. after 6 months of age there is no significant endocrine activity of the gonads any more; 3. the prepubertal activation of the adrenal androgens production (adrenarche) is similar in the 2 sexes but their chronology is different for each androgen: an increase is observed after age 8 for delta(4), after age 10 for T. 4. in puberty the increase of T- and delta(4)-values differs markedly according to the two sexes. So, while the gradual prepubertal maturation of androgen steroid production, passing the stage of "adrenal puberty", could be demonstrated convincingly, the role of the different androgens in the maturation of the "gonadostat" (hypothalamopituitary complex) still remains a matter of hypothesis.