View source for Sex hormone

{{Short description|Type of steroid hormone}}
{{Infobox drug class
| Image = Estradiol.svg
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| Caption = [[Estradiol]], an important [[estrogen]] sex hormone in both women and men
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| Synonyms = Sex steroid; Gonadal steroid
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| Use = Various
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| Biological_target = [[Sex hormone receptor]]s
| Chemical_class = [[Steroid]]al; [[Nonsteroidal]]
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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> Certain [[polypeptide]] hormones including the [[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.

==Production==
Natural sex hormones are made by the [[gonad]]s ([[ovary|ovaries]] or [[testicle]]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>

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 Image:Biosinthesis of steroid hormones (simplified version).jpg
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{{Production rates, secretion rates, clearance rates, and blood levels of major sex hormones}}

==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 [[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", since they have feminizing effects, 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 |volume=9 |issue=5 |pages=284–9 |doi=10.1111/j.1600-0765.1974.tb00683.x |pmid=4281823}}</ref>

Sex hormones include:
* [[Progestogen]]s
** [[Pregnenolone]] → [[Progesterone]] → [[Allopregnanedione]] → [[Allopregnanolone]]
** [[17α-Hydroxypregnenolone]] → [[17α-Hydroxyprogesterone]]
* [[Androgen]]s
** [[Dehydroepiandrosterone]] → [[Androstenedione]] → [[Androstanedione]] → [[Androsterone]]
** [[Androstenediol]] → [[Testosterone]] → [[Dihydrotestosterone]] → [[Androstanediol]]
* [[Estrogen]]s
** [[2-Hydroxyestrone]] ← [[Estrone]] → [[16α-Hydroxyestrone]]
** [[2-Hydroxyestradiol]] ← [[Estradiol]] → [[Estriol]] → [[Estetrol]]

==Synthetic sex steroids==
There are also many synthetic sex steroids.<ref>{{Cite journal |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 |journal=The Journal of Immunology|date=1988 |doi=10.4049/jimmunol.141.9.2959 |last1=Schreiber |first1=A. D. |last2=Nettl |first2=F. M. |last3=Sanders |first3=M. C. |last4=King |first4=M. |last5=Szabolcs |first5=P. |last6=Friedman |first6=D. |last7=Gomez |first7=F. |volume=141 |issue=9 |pages=2959–2966 |pmid=3171183 }}</ref> Synthetic androgens are often referred to as [[anabolic steroid]]s. Synthetic estrogens and progestins are used in methods of [[hormonal contraception]]. [[Ethinylestradiol]] is an example of a semi-synthetic estrogen. Specific compounds that have partial agonist activity for [[steroid receptors]] may require treatment by a steroid in one cell type, and, therefore, act like natural steroid hormones. These compounds are used in certain medical conditions. Some systemic effects of a 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>

==See also==
* [[List of investigational sex-hormonal agents]]
* [[Effects of hormones on sexual motivation]]
* [[Sex hormone therapy]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{MeshName|Sex+Steroid+Hormones}}

{{Steroids}}
{{Major drug groups}}
{{Navboxes
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{{Androgen receptor modulators}}
{{Estrogen receptor modulators}}
{{Progesterone receptor modulators}}
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{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sex hormones|*]]
[[Category:Animal reproductive system]]
[[Category:Human sexuality]]
[[Category:Animal sexuality]]
[[Category:Hormones of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis]]
[[Category:Intersex healthcare]]
[[Category:LGBTQ studies]]