“…They are, at least in part, responsible for the gender differences in bone growth, which emerges during adolescence (Riggs et al 2002, Vanderschueren et al 2004, Clarke & Khosla 2010. Although skeletal size and volume are similar in prepubertal girls and boys (Kelly et al 1990, Seeman 2001, Vanderschueren et al 2004, Kirmani et al 2009, Callewaert et al 2010a, the sexual dimorphism in bone growth becomes apparent during puberty, at which time men reach higher peak bone mass (Clarke & Khosla 2010). This skeletal sexual dimorphism is mainly due to a stimulatory androgen action on periosteal bone formation in men, whereas an inhibitory estrogen-related action occurs in women (Bertelloni et al 1995, Finkelstein et al 1996, Katznelson et al 1996, Seeman 2001, Venken et al 2006, Kirmani et al 2009).…”