Sex hormone: Difference between revisions

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| Caption = [[Estradiol]], an important [[estrogen]] sex hormone in both women and men.

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'''Sex hormones''', also known as '''sex steroids''', '''gonadocorticoids''' and '''gonadal steroids''', are [[steroid hormone]]s that interact with [[vertebrate]] [[steroid hormone receptor]]s.<ref name="pmid19456336">{{cite journal|last=Guerriero|first=G|title=Vertebrate sex steroid receptors: evolution, ligands, and neurodistribution.|journal=Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences|date=April 2009|volume=1163|issue=1|pages=154–68|pmid=19456336|doi=10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04460.x|bibcode=2009NYASA1163..154G|s2cid=5790990}}</ref> The sex hormones include the [[androgen]]s, [[estrogen]]s, and [[progestogen]]s. Their effects are mediated by slow genomic mechanisms through [[nuclear receptor]]s as well as by fast nongenomic mechanisms through membrane-associated receptors and [[signaling cascade]]s.<ref name="pmid19258710">{{cite journal|last=Thakur|first=MK|author2=Paramanik, V |title=Role of steroid hormone coregulators in health and disease|journal=Hormone Research|year=2009|volume=71|issue=4|pages=194–200|pmid=19258710|doi=10.1159/000201107|url=http://www.karger.com/Article/Pdf/201107|doi-access=free}}</ref> The [[polypeptide]] hormones [[luteinizing hormone]], [[follicle-stimulating hormone]] and [[gonadotropin-releasing hormone]] – each associated with the [[gonadotropin]] axis – are usually not regarded as sex hormones, although they play major sex-related roles.

Natural sex hormones are made by the [[gonad]]s ([[ovary|ovaries]] or [[testestesticle]]s),<ref name="pmid10592444">{{cite journal|last=Brook|first=CG|title=Mechanism of puberty|journal=Hormone Research|year=1999|volume=51 Suppl 3|issue=3|pages=52–4|pmid=10592444|doi=10.1159/000053162|s2cid=33671883 }}</ref> by [[adrenal gland]]s, or by conversion from other sex steroids in other tissue such as liver or fat.<ref>{{cite book|title=Health, Risk, and Adversity - Volume 2 of Studies of the Biosocial Society|author1=Catherine Panter-Brick |author2=Agustín Fuentes |publisher=Berghahn Books, 2011|chapter=Glossary|page=280}}</ref>

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 [[progestogen]]s as a third class of sex steroids, distinct from androgens and estrogens.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-24 |title=An Overview Of Sex Hormones |url=https://www.news-medical.net/health/An-Overview-Of-Sex-Hormones.aspx |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=News-Medical.net |language=en}}</ref> [[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.<ref name="pmid4281823">{{cite journal |last=ElAttar |first=TM |author2=Hugoson, A |year=1974 |title=Comparative metabolism of female sex steroids in normal and chronically inflamed gingiva of the dog |journal=Journal of Periodontal Research|year=1974 |volume=9 |issue=5 |pages=284–9 |doi=10.1111/j.1600-0765.1974.tb00683.x |pmid=4281823}}</ref> although all types are present in each sex at different levels.

There are also many synthetic sex steroids.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Effect of endogenous and synthetic sex steroids on the clearance of antibody-coated cells |url=https://journals.aai.org/jimmunol/article-abstract/141/9/2959/21053/Effect-of-endogenous-and-synthetic-sex-steroids-on |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=journals.aai.org}}</ref> Synthetic androgens are often referred to as [[anabolic steroid]]s. 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]], 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.<ref name="pmid19382224">{{cite journal|last=Copland|first=JA|author2=Sheffield-Moore, M |author3=Koldzic-Zivanovic, N |author4=Gentry, S |author5=Lamprou, G |author6=Tzortzatou-Stathopoulou, F |author7=Zoumpourlis, V |author8=Urban, RJ |author9= Vlahopoulos, SA |title=Sex steroid receptors in skeletal differentiation and epithelial neoplasia: is tissue-specific intervention possible?|journal=BioEssays|date=June 2009|volume=31|issue=6|pages=629–41|pmid=19382224|doi=10.1002/bies.200800138|s2cid=205469320 }}</ref>

* [[SexualEffects motivation andof hormones on sexual motivation]]

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