Recent advances in the endocrinology of puberty.

Abstract

I. Introduction The term puberty is derived from the Latin pubes, hair. In trying to define puberty, scientists of the 18th century gave more emphasis to the changes in phenotypical appearance associated with puberty than to the morphological and functional changes undergone within the gonads at this time. Researchers of the earlier part of the present century were already more concerned in their definitions with the acquisition of reproductive capacity resulting from the completion of gonadal and accessory sex organ development. Thus, in 1929 Parkes defined puberty as “the phase in which the individual acquires sexual maturity” (from Ref. 1). According to him puberty (in the female) consists of two phases: the gradual prepubertal development of the accessory organs and the abrupt appearance of the first estrus and ovulation. Years later Asdell defined puberty as “the time at which reproduction first becomes possible, i.e. when germ cells are released” (from Ref. 1). Almost 20 years later (1965), Donovan ...