The Endocrine Role of Estrogens on Human Male Skeleton

Before the characterization of human and animal models of estrogen deficiency, estrogen action was confined in the context of the female bone. These interesting models uncovered a wide spectrum of unexpected estrogen actions on bone in males, allowing the formulation of an estrogen-centric theory us...

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Main Authors: Vincenzo Rochira, Elda Kara, Cesare Carani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2015-01-01
Series:International Journal of Endocrinology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/165215
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author Vincenzo Rochira
Elda Kara
Cesare Carani
author_facet Vincenzo Rochira
Elda Kara
Cesare Carani
author_sort Vincenzo Rochira
collection DOAJ
description Before the characterization of human and animal models of estrogen deficiency, estrogen action was confined in the context of the female bone. These interesting models uncovered a wide spectrum of unexpected estrogen actions on bone in males, allowing the formulation of an estrogen-centric theory useful to explain how sex steroids act on bone in men. Most of the principal physiological events that take place in the developing and mature male bone are now considered to be under the control of estrogen. Estrogen determines the acceleration of bone elongation at puberty, epiphyseal closure, harmonic skeletal proportions, the achievement of peak bone mass, and the maintenance of bone mass. Furthermore, it seems to crosstalk with androgen even in the determination of bone size, a more androgen-dependent phenomenon. At puberty, epiphyseal closure and growth arrest occur when a critical number of estrogens is reached. The same mechanism based on a critical threshold of serum estradiol seems to operate in men during adulthood for bone mass maintenance via the modulation of bone formation and resorption in men. This threshold should be better identified in-between the ranges of 15 and 25 pg/mL. Future basic and clinical research will optimize strategies for the management of bone diseases related to estrogen deficiency in men.
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spelling doaj-art-2e0b06a9c5794db4bd675cf0f7aed4ee2025-08-20T02:08:09ZengWileyInternational Journal of Endocrinology1687-83371687-83452015-01-01201510.1155/2015/165215165215The Endocrine Role of Estrogens on Human Male SkeletonVincenzo Rochira0Elda Kara1Cesare Carani2Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via P. Giardini 1355, 41126 Modena, ItalyUnit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via P. Giardini 1355, 41126 Modena, ItalyUnit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via P. Giardini 1355, 41126 Modena, ItalyBefore the characterization of human and animal models of estrogen deficiency, estrogen action was confined in the context of the female bone. These interesting models uncovered a wide spectrum of unexpected estrogen actions on bone in males, allowing the formulation of an estrogen-centric theory useful to explain how sex steroids act on bone in men. Most of the principal physiological events that take place in the developing and mature male bone are now considered to be under the control of estrogen. Estrogen determines the acceleration of bone elongation at puberty, epiphyseal closure, harmonic skeletal proportions, the achievement of peak bone mass, and the maintenance of bone mass. Furthermore, it seems to crosstalk with androgen even in the determination of bone size, a more androgen-dependent phenomenon. At puberty, epiphyseal closure and growth arrest occur when a critical number of estrogens is reached. The same mechanism based on a critical threshold of serum estradiol seems to operate in men during adulthood for bone mass maintenance via the modulation of bone formation and resorption in men. This threshold should be better identified in-between the ranges of 15 and 25 pg/mL. Future basic and clinical research will optimize strategies for the management of bone diseases related to estrogen deficiency in men.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/165215
spellingShingle Vincenzo Rochira
Elda Kara
Cesare Carani
The Endocrine Role of Estrogens on Human Male Skeleton
International Journal of Endocrinology
title The Endocrine Role of Estrogens on Human Male Skeleton
title_full The Endocrine Role of Estrogens on Human Male Skeleton
title_fullStr The Endocrine Role of Estrogens on Human Male Skeleton
title_full_unstemmed The Endocrine Role of Estrogens on Human Male Skeleton
title_short The Endocrine Role of Estrogens on Human Male Skeleton
title_sort endocrine role of estrogens on human male skeleton
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/165215
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