1. Diagrammatic representation of the mechanism of action of testosterone on target cells. Testosterone (T) circulates in association with sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) but dissociates to enter the cells, where it is either 5α-reduced to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or aromatized to estradiol (E2). Dihydrotestosterone binds to the androgen receptor (AR) in the cytoplasm and activates it with the release of heat shock proteins (HSP). The activated AR complex is then translocated to the nucleus, where it binds as a dimer to specific hormone response elements of the DNA and, along with coactivators (eg, ARA), initiates transcription, leading to protein synthesis with consequent androgenic effects. (Redrawn and modified from Feldman BJ, Feldman D. The development of androgen-independent prostate cancer. Nat Rev Cancer. 2001;1:34.)
Source: Chapter 14. Disorders of Sex Determination and Differentiation, Greenspan’s Basic & Clinical Endocrinology, 9e
Citation: Gardner DG, Shoback D. Greenspan’s Basic & Clinical Endocrinology, 9e; 2011 Available at: Accessed: November 11, 2017
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