Virilization

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Demasculinization
)
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Virilization or masculinization is the biological development of adult male characteristics in young males or females.[1] Most of the changes of virilization are produced by androgens.

Virilization is a medical

low testosterone
.

Prenatal virilization

In the prenatal period, virilization refers to closure of the

urethral groove to the tip of the penis
. In this context, masculinization is synonymous with virilization.

Prenatal virilization of genetic females and undervirilization of genetic males are common causes of

ambiguous genitalia and Disorders of sex development

For many years, it was widely believed that in

mammals, the female is the "default" developmental pathway, and the SRY gene on the Y chromosome is responsible for suppressing the development of female characteristics and stimulating males characteristics. In this scenario, an embryo would passively develop female sexual characteristics without intervention by the SRY gene. However, in the early 2000s, other genes, such as WNT4 and RSPO1, were discovered that perform the opposite function – i.e., genes which suppress masculinization and stimulate feminization.[2]

Two processes: defeminization, and masculinization, are involved in producing male typical morphology and behavior.

High

Prenatal virilization of a genetically female fetus can occur when an excessive amount of androgen is produced by the fetal

testes
. More often, the virilization is partial and the genitalia are ambiguous.

It can also be associated with

progestin-induced virilisation
.

Low

Undervirilization can occur if a genetic male cannot produce enough androgen or the body tissues cannot respond to it. Extreme undervirilization occurs when no significant androgen hormones can be produced or the body is completely insensitive to androgens. Both result in a female body. Partial undervirilization produces ambiguous genitalia part-way between male and female. Examples of undervirilization are

5 alpha reductase deficiency, and some forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia
.

Normal virilization

See also: Puberty § Changes in males

In common as well as medical usage, virilization often refers to the process of normal male puberty. These effects include growth of the penis and the testes, accelerated growth, development of pubic hair, and other androgenic hair of face, torso, and limbs, deepening of the voice, increased musculature, thickening of the jaw, prominence of the neck cartilage, and broadening of the shoulders.

Abnormal childhood virilization

Virilization can occur in childhood in both males and females due to excessive amounts of androgens. Typical effects of virilization in children are

acne, and adult body odor. In males, virilization may signal precocious puberty, while congenital adrenal hyperplasia and androgen producing tumors (usually) of the gonads or adrenals are occasional causes in both sexes.[3]

In adolescent or adult females

Virilization in females can manifest as

menstrual disruption due to anovulation, and a strengthened libido.[4]
Some of the possible causes of virilization in females are:

Medically induced virilization in transgender people

See also:
hormone replacement therapy
. This process causes virilization by inducing many of the effects of a typically male puberty. Many of these effects are permanent, but some effects can be reversed if the transgender individual stops or pauses their medical treatment.

Permanent virilization effects

  • Deepening of the voice
  • Growth of facial and body hair
  • Male-pattern
    baldness
  • Enlargement of the clitoris
  • Breast atrophy – possible shrinking and/or softening of breasts

Reversible virilization effects

  • Further muscle development (especially upper body)
  • Increased sweat and changes in body odor
  • Prominence of veins and coarser skin
  • Alterations in blood lipids (
    triglycerides
    )
  • Increased red blood cell count

Demasculinization

Demasculinization refers to the reversal of virilization. Some but not all aspects of virilization are reversible. Demasculinization occurs naturally with

transgender women who have undergone the changes of pubertal masculinization, to restore and induce feminine physical traits that would otherwise be masked or never occur. Some virilized traits remain though (such as body hair, a hard jawline and an enlarged larynx
), due to the fashion in which virilization affects a body's physiology.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Virilization definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary". www.collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  2. PMID 25693544
    .
  3. ^ "Virilization: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia". medlineplus.gov. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  4. ISBN 978-0-7637-4717-6
    .

Further reading

External links

Look up virilization in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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