Ces Urol 2021, 25(3):182-192 | DOI: 10.48095/cccu2021031

Postnatal activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis (minipuberty) and undescended testicle

Vojtěch Fiala, Zuzana Jirásková, Marcel Drlík, Anna-Marie Rappová, Alžběta Kantorová, Radim Kočvara

Urologická klinika Všeobecné fakultní nemocnice a 1. lékařské fakulty v Praze

Fiala V, Jirásková Z, Drlík M, Rappová AM, Kantorová A, Kočvara R. Postnatal activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis (minipuberty) and undescended testicle. It is possible to measure higher hormonal activity (so called minipuberty) during first months of life, hormonal levels during this period are as high as in true puberty. The hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis is activated in both sexes, in boys the peak is between first and third month of life, in girls this period is longer. This hormonal surge has an important impact on the development of external genitalia and on gonadal maturation. Defective minipuberty is connected with failed transformation of spermatogonia in undescended testis, which may be one of reasons for future infertility in 30% of succesfully surgical only treated men. Further investigation of minipuberty and its hormonal substitution as an option how to improve infertility risk in these patients is necessary.

Keywords: Minipuberty, hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis, cryptorchidism, hormonal analysis.

Received: August 5, 2021; Revised: August 22, 2021; Accepted: August 23, 2021; Prepublished online: August 23, 2021; Published: September 30, 2021