Reproductive maturation in a sample of captive male baboons.
Though baboons have been considered an appropriate non-human primate model for studying human reproductive and endocrine development. the overall similarity of reproductive maturation between the two species is unclear. This paper examines the role of testicular and adrenal hormones for pubertal changes in a cross-sectional sample of 21 captive male savanna baboons. Morphometric and hormonal indices demonstrate changes in size and gonadal function, but not adrenal function, during pubertal maturation among baboons. Results also indicate that gonadal, but not adrenal, androgens are related to morphometric variables. We conclude that savanna baboons do not make an appropriate evolutionary model of human pubertal maturation.
Muehlenbein
M P
MP
Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8277, USA. michael.m@snet.net
Campbell
B C
BC
Phillippi
K M
KM
Murchison
M A
MA
Richards
R J
RJ
Svec
F
F
Myers
L
L
D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010215:Papio / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D013739:Testosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D006854:Hydrocortisone