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February 1989, Vol 143, No. 2 >
Article | February 1989

The Onset of Sperm Production in Pubertal Boys:  Relationship to Gonadotropin Excretion FREE

Howard E. Kuhn, MD; Miguel A. Frontera, MD; Laurence M. Demers, PhD; Mary J. Bartholomew, MS; Thomas A. Lloyd, PhD
[+] Author Affiliations

Accepted for publication Nov 9, 1988.

Reprint requests to Department of Pediatrics, Division of Endocrinology, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, PO Box 850, Hershey, PA 17033 (Dr Kulin).


Am J Dis Child. 1989;143(2):190-193. doi:10.1001/archpedi.1989.02150140080024.
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• To determine the relationship of gonadotropin excretion to spermarche, 26 boys ranging in age from 10.3 to 17.5 years each provided ten overnight urine samples. Microscopic observation of sperm was found in 33 (13%) of the 260 samples, with 50% of the boys exhibiting sperm in at least one specimen. No further cumulative gain in detecting spermaturia occurred after the seventh urine collection. The median age of spermarche was computed by logistic regression analysis to be 14 years. Three urine collections from each boy were assessed for gonadotropin levels. At age 14 years mean follicule-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone excretion were, respectively, 857 and 503 mlU/h, into the reported adult daytime range. Spermarche is a midpubertal event associated with age-appropriate gonadotropin production.

(AJDC 1989;143:190-193)

REFERENCES

1 +
Baldwin BT:  The determination of sex maturation in boys by a laboratory method . J Comp Psychol 1928;;8:39-42.
2 +
Wilhelm SF, Seligmann AW:  Spermatozoa in urine . Am J Surg 1937;;35:572-574.
3 +
Richardson DW, Short RV:  Time of onset of sperm production in boys . J Biosoc Sci Suppl 1978;;5:15-25.
4 +
Hirsch M, Shemesh J, Modan M, et al:  Emission of spermatozoa, age of onset . Int J Androl 1979;;2:289-298.
5 +
Hirsch M, Lunenfeld B, Modan M, et al:  Spermarche: The onset of sperm emission . J Adolesc Health Care 1985;;6:35-39.
6 +
Nielsen CT, Skakkebaek NE, Richardson DW, et al:  The onset of release of spermatozoa in boys in relation to age, testicular growth, pubic hair, and height . J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1986;;62:532-535.
7 +
Nielsen CT, Skakkebaek NE, Darling JAB, et al:  Longitudinal study of testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) in relation to spermarche, pubic hair, height and sitting height in normal boys . Acta Endocrinol 1986;;113( (suppl) ):98-196.
8 +
Marshall MD, Tanner JM:  Variations in the pattern of pubertal changes in boys . Arch Dis Child 1970;;45:13-23.
9 +
Kulin HE, Bwibo N, Mutie D, et al:  The effect of chronic childhood malnutrition on pubertal growth and development . Am J Clin Nutr 1982;;36:527-536.
10 +
Makler A:  A new chamber for rapid sperm count and motility evaluation . Fertil Steril 1978;;30:313-317.
11 +
Kulin HE, Bell P, Santen R, et al:  Integration of pulsatile gonadotropin secretion by timed urinary measurements . J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1975;;40:783-789.
12 +
Kulin HE, Santner SJ:  Timed urinary gonadotropin measurements in normal infants, children and adults and in patients with disorders of sexual maturation . J Pediatr 1977;;90:760-765.
13 +
Afifi AA: Computer Aided Multivariate Analysis . Belmont, Calif, Lifetime Learning Publications, 1984;.
14 +
Laron Z, Gurewitz R, Grunebanm M, et al:  Age of first conscious ejaculation: A milestone in male puberty . Helv Paediatr Acta 1980;;35:13-20.
15 +
Weissenberg R, Rozenman H, Hova M, et al:  Diagnostic value of sperm in postejaculatory urine . Int J Androl 1984;;7:142-148.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

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References

1 +
Baldwin BT:  The determination of sex maturation in boys by a laboratory method . J Comp Psychol 1928;;8:39-42.
2 +
Wilhelm SF, Seligmann AW:  Spermatozoa in urine . Am J Surg 1937;;35:572-574.
3 +
Richardson DW, Short RV:  Time of onset of sperm production in boys . J Biosoc Sci Suppl 1978;;5:15-25.
4 +
Hirsch M, Shemesh J, Modan M, et al:  Emission of spermatozoa, age of onset . Int J Androl 1979;;2:289-298.
5 +
Hirsch M, Lunenfeld B, Modan M, et al:  Spermarche: The onset of sperm emission . J Adolesc Health Care 1985;;6:35-39.
6 +
Nielsen CT, Skakkebaek NE, Richardson DW, et al:  The onset of release of spermatozoa in boys in relation to age, testicular growth, pubic hair, and height . J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1986;;62:532-535.
7 +
Nielsen CT, Skakkebaek NE, Darling JAB, et al:  Longitudinal study of testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) in relation to spermarche, pubic hair, height and sitting height in normal boys . Acta Endocrinol 1986;;113( (suppl) ):98-196.
8 +
Marshall MD, Tanner JM:  Variations in the pattern of pubertal changes in boys . Arch Dis Child 1970;;45:13-23.
9 +
Kulin HE, Bwibo N, Mutie D, et al:  The effect of chronic childhood malnutrition on pubertal growth and development . Am J Clin Nutr 1982;;36:527-536.
10 +
Makler A:  A new chamber for rapid sperm count and motility evaluation . Fertil Steril 1978;;30:313-317.
11 +
Kulin HE, Bell P, Santen R, et al:  Integration of pulsatile gonadotropin secretion by timed urinary measurements . J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1975;;40:783-789.
12 +
Kulin HE, Santner SJ:  Timed urinary gonadotropin measurements in normal infants, children and adults and in patients with disorders of sexual maturation . J Pediatr 1977;;90:760-765.
13 +
Afifi AA: Computer Aided Multivariate Analysis . Belmont, Calif, Lifetime Learning Publications, 1984;.
14 +
Laron Z, Gurewitz R, Grunebanm M, et al:  Age of first conscious ejaculation: A milestone in male puberty . Helv Paediatr Acta 1980;;35:13-20.
15 +
Weissenberg R, Rozenman H, Hova M, et al:  Diagnostic value of sperm in postejaculatory urine . Int J Androl 1984;;7:142-148.

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