| Prenatal period (pree-NAY-tul) | The time from conception to birth.
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| Hormones | Chemical substances secreted by the endocrine glands into the bloodstream.
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| Testosterone | A hormone secreted by the testes in the male (and also present at lower levels in the female).
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| Androgens | The group of male sex hormones, one of which is testosterone.
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| Estrogens (ESS-troh-jens) | The group of female sex hormones.
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| Progesterone (pro-JES-tur-ohn) | A female sex hormone secreted by the ovaries.
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| Pituitary gland (pih-TOO-ih-tair-ee) | A small endocrine gland located on the lower side of the brain below the hypothalamus; the pituitary is important in regulating levels of sex hormones.
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| Hypothalamus (hy-poh-THAL-ah-mus) | A small region of the brain that is important in regulating many body functions, including the functioning of the sex hormones.
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| Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) | A hormone secreted by the pituitary; it stimulates follicle development in females and sperm production in males.
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| Luteinizing hormone (LH) | A hormone secreted by the pituitary; it regulates estrogen secretion and ovum development in the female and testosterone production in the male.
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| GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) | A hormone secreted by the hypothalamus that regulates the pituitary's secretion of gonad-stimulating hormones.
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| HPG axis | Hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis, the negative feedback loop that regulates sex-hormone production.
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| Inhibin | A substance secreted by the testes and ovaries which regulates FSH levels.
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| SRY | Stands for sex-determining region, Y chromosome.
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| Müllerian ducts | Ducts found in both male and female fetuses; in males they degenerate and in females they develop into the fallopian tubes, the uterus, and the upper part of the vagina.
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| Wolffian ducts | Ducts found in both male and female fetuses; in females they degenerate and in males they develop into the epididymis, the vas deferens, and the ejaculatory duct
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| Cryptorchidism | Undescended testes; the condition in which the testes do not descend to the scrotum as they should during prenatal development.
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| Homologous organs (huh-MOLL-uh-gus) | Organs in the male and female that develop from the same embryonic tissue.
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| Analogous organs (an-AL-uh-gus) | Organs in the male and female that have similar functions.
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| Intersex | An individual who has a mixture of male and female reproductive structures, so that it is not clear at birth whether the individual is a male or a female. Also called a pseudohermaphrodite.
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| Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) | A condition in which a genetic female produces abnormal levels of androgens prenatally and therefore has male-appearing genitals at birth.
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| Androgen-insensitivity syndrome (AIS) | A genetic condition in which the body is unresponsive to androgens so that a genetic male may be born with a female-appearing body.
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| Puberty | The time during which there is sudden enlargement and maturation of the gonads, other genitalia, and secondary sex characteristics, so that the individual becomes capable of reproduction.
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| Menarche (MEN-ar-key) | First menstruation.
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| Leptin | A protein produced in the body that is related to the onset of puberty.
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| Adrenal glands (uh-DREE-nul) | Endocrine glands located just above the kidneys; in the female they are the major producers of androgens.
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| Adrenarche (AD-ren-ar-key) | A time of increased secretion of adrenal androgens, usually just before age eight.
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