The gene that starts puberty is discovered

2004/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Genetika

They study a family from Saudi Arabia because several relatives did not have puberty, the voice of the boys does not get fat and the girls do not develop breast, for example. After analyzing them, they discover that a certain gene is mutated.

The onset of puberty is a genetically controlled process. Young people begin to mature sexually through the secretion of a hormone in the brain, gonadotropin. Scientists have been able to identify the gene that puts it in place, that is, the gene of the protein that produces the release of the hormone.

So far they knew that in puberty there are many active genes, but they did not know which of them was the one that triggered puberty. In fact, most participate in other physiological processes such as fat regulation. Now, however, they have found the membrane receptor responsible.