Androgen Androgen An androgen (from Greek "andr-", the stem of the word meaning "man") is any natural or synthetic steroid hormone which regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors. This includes the embryological development of the primary male sex organs, and the development of male secondary sex characteristics at puberty. Androgens are synthesized in the testes, the ovaries, and the adrenal glands. Androgens increase in both boys and girls during puberty. The major androgen in males is testosterone. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and androstenedione are of equal importance in male development. DHT "in utero" causes
Sexual Preference (book) that while Bell "et al."′s suggestion that biological factors have a stronger influence on exclusive homosexuality than they have on bisexuality may seem plausible, it has not been directly tested and appears to conflict with available evidence, such as that concerning prenatal hormone exposure. The psychologist Bruce Rind credited Bell "et al." with disproving psychoanalytic theories about the development of homosexuality, along with the idea that childhood seduction causes homosexuality. The psychologist Mark Yarhouse wrote that while "Sexual Preference" is cited by proponents of a biological explanation, it relies on retrospective memory recall, which can be unreliable. The psychologist J.