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Local Steroidogenesis

Meaning

Local steroidogenesis describes the capacity of non-classical endocrine tissues, such as the skin, brain, and adipose tissue, to synthesize and metabolize steroid hormones, including androgens and estrogens, independent of the primary production in the adrenal glands and gonads. This peripheral synthesis is crucial for maintaining optimal hormone concentrations at the tissue level, where they exert paracrine or intracrine effects, meaning they act locally on neighboring cells or within the same cell. This mechanism is especially significant in conditions like menopause, where gonadal hormone production declines, or in hormone-sensitive cancers. Understanding local steroidogenesis allows for targeted, tissue-specific hormonal interventions.