General Qs

• Sex Hormones

  • Mainly produced by Testes & Ovaries
  • Can also be produced by the adrenal glands
• Testes & Ovaries

  Production of steroids such as androgens and estrogens

  Parent Compound: Cholesterol
• Ovaries convert:

  • Testosterone to Estradiol (E2)
  • Androstenedione to Estrone (E1)
• Peripheral tissues converts:

  • Testosterone to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
  • Reduction
  • Estradiol to Estriol
  • Hydrolation
  • Adrenal androgens to Testosterone (E1 or E2)
• Major Transport Proteins of sex hormones

  • Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)
  • Androgens
  • Estrogens
  • Corticosteroid binding-globulin (CBG) 
  • Progesterone
  • glucocorticoids
• 1 - 2% of sex steroids are free/unbound 

  • Biologically active
  • Can diffuse into the vascular system & interact with target cells
• Different Sex Hormones

  • Testosterone
  • Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
  • Estrogen
  • Progesterone
• Examples of secondary sex characteristics development:

  • Females - breast development

  Males - enlargement of scrotum and penis