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Pregnenolone Pathway

Meaning

The Pregnenolone Pathway is the initial and foundational sequence of biochemical reactions within the steroidogenesis cascade, beginning with the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone. Pregnenolone, often termed the “mother steroid,” serves as the obligatory precursor for the synthesis of all other major steroid hormones, including glucocorticoids (like cortisol), mineralocorticoids (like aldosterone), and sex hormones (like testosterone and estrogens). The integrity and efficiency of this pathway are therefore critical determinants of the entire hormonal milieu and overall endocrine balance. Clinical assessment of this pathway helps pinpoint upstream deficits in steroid hormone production.