What is the Origin of Sex Steroid Receptors?

The identification of these receptors, which belong to the nuclear receptor superfamily, revolutionized endocrinology in the mid-20th century, explaining how lipid-soluble hormones exert their effects by directly influencing the cell's genetic machinery. The term sex steroid is a chemical classification referring to the steroid structure of the hormones they bind.

What is the Mechanism of Sex Steroid Receptors?

The mechanism of action involves the sex steroid hormone passively diffusing across the cell membrane and binding to its specific receptor in the cytoplasm or nucleus. Upon ligand binding, the receptor-hormone complex undergoes a conformational change, dimerizes, and translocates to the nucleus, where it binds to specific hormone response elements (HREs) on the DNA. This binding event either initiates or represses the transcription of target genes, ultimately leading to the observed physiological and cellular effects.

Sex Steroid Receptors ∞ Area

Sex Steroid Receptors

Meaning

Sex Steroid Receptors are a class of intracellular ligand-activated transcription factors that bind to and mediate the actions of steroid hormones, including estrogens, androgens, and progestogens, throughout the body. These receptors are widely distributed across reproductive tissues, bone, brain, and adipose tissue, acting as molecular switches that regulate gene expression in response to circulating hormone levels. Their proper function is central to sexual differentiation, reproductive cycles, and metabolic health.