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19 June 2013 Androgen Receptor (AR) Physiological Roles in Male and Female Reproductive Systems: Lessons Learned from AR-Knockout Mice Lacking AR in Selective Cells
Chawnshang Chang, Soo Ok Lee, Ruey-Sheng Wang, Shuyuan Yeh, Ta-Min Chang
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Androgens/androgen receptor (AR) signaling is involved primarily in the development of male-specific phenotypes during embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, sexual behavior, and fertility during adult life. However, this signaling has also been shown to play an important role in development of female reproductive organs and their functions, such as ovarian folliculogenesis, embryonic implantation, and uterine and breast development. The establishment of the testicular feminization (Tfm) mouse model exploiting the X-linked Tfm mutation in mice has been a good in vivo tool for studying the human complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, but this mouse may not be the perfect in vivo model. Mouse models with various cell-specific AR knockout (ARKO) might allow us to study AR roles in individual types of cells in these male and female reproductive systems, although discrepancies are found in results between labs, probably due to using various Cre mice and/or knocking out AR in different AR domains. Nevertheless, no doubt exists that the continuous development of these ARKO mouse models and careful studies will provide information useful for understanding AR roles in reproductive systems of humans and may help us to develop more effective and more specific therapeutic approaches for reproductive system-related diseases.

Chawnshang Chang, Soo Ok Lee, Ruey-Sheng Wang, Shuyuan Yeh, and Ta-Min Chang "Androgen Receptor (AR) Physiological Roles in Male and Female Reproductive Systems: Lessons Learned from AR-Knockout Mice Lacking AR in Selective Cells," Biology of Reproduction 89(1), (19 June 2013). https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod.113.109132
Received: 4 March 2013; Accepted: 1 June 2013; Published: 19 June 2013
KEYWORDS
androgen receptor
Androgens
ARKO mice
fertility
male sexual function
reproductive system
sex differentiation
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