Sex hormones, also known as sex steroids, gonadocorticoids and gonadal steroids, are
steroid hormones that interact with
vertebrate steroid hormone receptors.
The sex hormones include the
androgens,
estrogen
Estrogen or oestrogen is a category of sex hormone responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. There are three major endogenous estrogens that have estrogenic hormonal ac ...
s, and
progestogens. Their effects are mediated by slow genomic mechanisms through
nuclear receptors as well as by fast nongenomic mechanisms through membrane-associated receptors and
signaling cascade
A biochemical cascade, also known as a signaling cascade or signaling pathway, is a series of chemical reactions that occur within a biological cell when initiated by a stimulus. This stimulus, known as a first messenger, acts on a receptor tha ...
s.
The
polypeptide hormones
luteinizing hormone,
follicle-stimulating hormone and
gonadotropin-releasing hormone
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a releasing hormone responsible for the release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary. GnRH is a tropic peptide hormone synthesized and released ...
– each associated with the
gonadotropin axis – are usually not regarded as sex hormones, although they play major sex-related roles.
Production
Natural sex hormones are made by the
gonads (
ovaries
The ovary is an organ in the female reproductive system that produces an ovum. When released, this travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it may become fertilized by a sperm. There is an ovary () found on each side of the body. T ...
or
testes),
by
adrenal gland
The adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands) are endocrine glands that produce a variety of hormones including adrenaline and the steroids aldosterone and cortisol. They are found above the kidneys. Each gland has an outer cortex ...
s, or by conversion from other sex steroids in other tissue such as liver or fat.
Types
In many contexts, the two main classes of sex hormones are androgens and estrogens, of which the most important human derivatives are
testosterone and
estradiol, respectively. Other contexts will include
progestogens as a third class of sex steroids, distinct from androgens and estrogens.
Progesterone is the most important and only naturally occurring human progestogen. In general, androgens are considered "male sex hormones", since they have masculinizing effects, while estrogens and progestogens are considered "female sex hormones"
although all types are present in each sex at different levels.
Sex hormones include:
*
Progestogens
**
Pregnenolone
Pregnenolone (P5), or pregn-5-en-3β-ol-20-one, is an endogenous steroid and precursor/metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of most of the steroid hormones, including the progestogens, androgens, estrogens, glucocorticoids, and mineralocor ...
→
Progesterone →
Allopregnanedione →
Allopregnanolone
**
17α-Hydroxypregnenolone →
17α-Hydroxyprogesterone
*
Androgens
**
Dehydroepiandrosterone →
Androstenedione →
Androstanedione →
Androsterone
Androsterone, or 3α-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one, is an endogenous steroid hormone, neurosteroid, and putative pheromone. It is a weak androgen with a potency that is approximately 1/7 that of testosterone. Androsterone is a metabolite of tes ...
**
Androstenediol
Androstenediol, or 5-androstenediol (abbreviated as A5 or Δ5-diol), also known as androst-5-ene-3β,17β-diol, is an endogenous weak androgen and estrogen steroid hormone and intermediate in the biosynthesis of testosterone from dehydroep ...
→
Testosterone →
Dihydrotestosterone
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT, 5α-dihydrotestosterone, 5α-DHT, androstanolone or stanolone) is an endogenous androgen sex steroid and hormone. The enzyme 5α-reductase catalyzes the formation of DHT from testosterone in certain tissues includi ...
→
Androstanediol Androstanediol may refer to:
* 3α-Androstanediol (5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol) – an endogenous neurosteroid, weak androgen and estrogen, and intermediate to androsterone
* 3β-Androstanediol (5α-androstane-3β,17β-diol) – an endogenous es ...
*
Estrogen
Estrogen or oestrogen is a category of sex hormone responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. There are three major endogenous estrogens that have estrogenic hormonal ac ...
s
**
2-Hydroxyestrone ←
Estrone →
16α-Hydroxyestrone
**
2-Hydroxyestradiol ←
Estradiol →
Estriol →
Estetrol
Synthetic sex steroids
There are also many synthetic sex steroids. Synthetic androgens are often referred to as
anabolic steroids. Synthetic estrogens and progestins are used in methods of
hormonal contraception.
Ethinylestradiol is a semi-synthetic estrogen. Specific compounds that have partial agonist activity for
steroid receptors
Steroid hormone receptors are found in the nucleus, cytosol, and also on the plasma membrane of target cells. They are generally intracellular receptors (typically cytoplasmic or nuclear) and initiate signal transduction for steroid hormones whi ...
, and therefore act in part like natural steroid hormones, are in use in medical conditions that require treatment with steroid in one cell type, but where systemic effects of the particular steroid in the entire organism are only desirable within certain limits.
See also
*
List of investigational sex-hormonal agents
*
Effects of hormones on sexual motivation Sexual motivation is influenced by hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, oxytocin, and vasopressin. In most mammalian species, sex hormones control the ability and motivation to engage in sexual behaviours.
Measuring sexual ...
*
Sex hormone therapy
Hormone therapy or hormonal therapy is the use of hormones in medical treatment. Treatment with hormone antagonists may also be referred to as hormonal therapy or antihormone therapy. The most general classes of hormone therapy are oncologic horm ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
*
Animal reproductive system
Human sexuality
Animal sexuality
Hormones of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis
Intersex and medicine