Some aspects of androgen insensitivity.
The clinical and endocrine features of the syndromes of androgen insensitivity which display a wide phenotypic spectrum are reviewed. A simple, dispersed whole cell assay to study androgen receptor binding in genital skin fibroblasts has been used to determine the pathogenesis of androgen insensitivity. Classification of the disorders based on in vitro studies does not show absolute concordance with the clinical sub-groups. Androgen-induced augmentation of basal specific binding is proposed as a possible functional test of androgen responsiveness in disorders such as partial androgen insensitivity, isolated hypospadias and micropenis. Understanding the cause of androgen insensitivity in many receptor-positive patients awaits identification and isolation of DNA probes for the X-linked gene locus for the androgen receptor.
D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000503:physiopathology; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000503:physiopathology; D014960:X Chromosome
D000728:Androgens; D011944:Receptors, Androgen