True hermaphroditism: from female to male endocrine status.
True hermaphroditism was revealed by monthly intrascrotal bleeding in a 21-yr-old subject of male phenotype who had undergone surgical treatment for gonadal ectopy at the age of 7 yr. The presence of an ovary was demonstrated by the endocrine profile of an ovulatory menstrual cycle. Evidence for the presence of a testis was provided by a plasma testosterone increase after hCG administration (5000 IU/day for 3 days) and its spontaneous response to an endogenous preovulatory LH peak. Further endocrine studies revealed that both gonads were stimulated by endogenous gonadotropins. At surgery, a hemiuterus and an ovary with corpus luteum were found in the left hemiscrotum, and a testis and epididymis were found in the right hemiscrotum. After removal of the ovary, the subject passed from a predominantly female to a male endocrine status, which suggests that the endocrine secretion of the testis was inhibited by the negative feedback effect of ovarian steroids on gonadotropin secretion.
D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase