Organizational Effects of Estrogens and Androgens on Estrogen and Androgen Receptor Expression in Pituitary and Adrenal Glands in Adult Male and Female Rats

The study examined how estrogens and androgens affect the expression of estrogen and androgen receptors in the pituitary and adrenal glands of adult male and female rats. It found significant sex-dependent differences in receptor expression, with males showing higher levels of ERα, ERβ, and GPER in the pituitary, while females had higher AR levels. Treatments that blocked androgen receptors or inhibited testosterone conversion during the first 5 postnatal days altered these expressions, leading to feminization of males and masculinization of females. These results suggest that early hormonal environment influences sex-specific physiological differences in the neuroendocrine system.