- testosterone
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/tes tos"teuh rohn'/, n.1. Biochem. the sex hormone, C19H28O2, secreted by the testes, that stimulates the development of male sex organs, secondary sexual traits, and sperm.2. Pharm. a commercially prepared form of this compound, originally isolated from bull's testes and now also produced synthetically, used in medicine chiefly for treatment of testosterone deficiency and for certain gynecological conditions.
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Masculinizing sex hormone produced by the testes.It is responsible for the development of the male sex organs and secondary sex characteristics (e.g., facial hair, masculine musculature, deep voice, and male-pattern baldness). Testosterone can be manufactured by modifying other, less expensive steroids. It is used in the treatment of hypogonadism, undescended testes (cryptorchism), and certain cancers.* * *
▪ hormonean organic compound belonging to the steroid family and occurring as the androgenic, or masculinizing, hormone produced by the testis. Testosterone is responsible for development of the male sex organs and such masculine characteristics as facial hair and deepening of the voice. The hormone was isolated from testicular extracts in 1935, after it had been shown that they contain an androgen more potent than androsterone, which had been obtained from urine in 1931. Androsterone was later shown to be a biochemical product (a metabolite) of testosterone. Testosterone can be manufactured by chemical and microbiological modification of inexpensive steroids, such as diosgenin. It is used clinically for treatment of testicular insufficiency, the suppression of lactation, the therapy of certain types of breast cancer, and the treatment of frigidity in women.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
