Androgen backdoor pathway

Series of interconnected biochemical reactions

The androgen backdoor pathway is responsible for the synthesis of physiologically relevant androgens. This process starts with 21-carbon steroids, also known as pregnanes, and involves a step called "5α-reduction". Notably, this pathway does not require the intermediate formation of testosterone, hence the term "bypassing testosterone" is sometimes used in medical literature as the hallmark feature of this way of androgen biosynthesis. This feature is a key distinction from the conventional, canonical androgenic pathway, which necessitates the involvement of testosterone as an intermediate in the synthesis of androgens.

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