Oxytocin, a male intragonadal hormone.
It is now well recognised that oxytocin is not confined to the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system but present elsewhere in the body. However, the significance of the peptide in these peripheral sites is still unclear. This paper considers the evidence for oxytocin to be a male gonadal hormone and focusses on three of the criteria which need to be fulfilled for it to earn this title: oxytocin must be produced within the gonads; have a physiological action and be regulated by factors which alter gonadal function.
Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, UK.
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HD
Nicholson
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Pickering
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology*
D010121:Oxytocin