Final answer:
Partial androgen agonists, such as bicalutamide, mimic some actions of testosterone but not fully, often used in prostate cancer treatment. Full androgen agonists, like testosterone, methyltestosterone, and nandrolone, fully mimic the effects of testosterone. Synthetic variations like anabolic steroids can be misused for performance or aesthetic gains.
Step-by-step explanation:
Partial androgen agonists are compounds that mimic some, but not all, of the actions of the male sex hormone testosterone. Full androgen agonists are compounds that fully mimic the actions of testosterone in the body. The most widely known androgen in males is testosterone, which is a full androgen agonist, promoting the production of sperm and masculine characteristics. There are synthetic variations of testosterone known as anabolic steroids, which some people misuse to boost performance or improve physical appearance. An example of a partial androgen agonist is bicalutamide, which is used in the treatment of prostate cancer. Full androgen agonists include endogenous testosterone and synthetic compounds such as methyltestosterone and nandrolone.
Regarding partial androgen agonists, they can act on the androgen receptor but do not produce the full biological effect of testosterone. Instead, they can competitively inhibit the effects of full agonists. Partial agonists can be used in situations such as hormone-related cancer therapy, where lowering the androgenic activity is desired without complete blockade of androgen receptors.