Estrogen

• Estrogen

  • C-18 steroid hormone having phenol A ring
  • Arises thru structural alteration of testosterone
  • Not produced by ovaries after menopause
• Precursors of Estrogen

  • Acetate
  • Cholesterol
  • Progesterone
  • Testosterone
• Functions of Estrogen

  • Breast development
  • Maturation of external genitalia
  • Deposition of body fat
  • Termination of linear growth
  • Female secondary sexual characteristics
• Estrogen + Progesterone

  • Uterine growth
  • Regulation of menstrual cycle
  • Maintenance of pregnancy
  • More progesterone
• Deficiency of Estrogen results in:

  Irregular & incomplete dev’t of endometrium
• Forms of Estrogen:

  Estrone (E1)

  Estradiol (E2)

  Estriol (E3)

  Estetrol (E4)

  Progesterone
• Estrone (E1)

  • Most abundant estrogen in [postmenopausal] women
  • Metabolite of intraovarian and extra glandular conversion
• Estradiol (E2)

  • Precursor of both E1 and E3
  • Most potent estrogen secreted by ovaries (MAJOR ESTROGEN)
  • Most abundant in [pre-menopausal] women
  • Low levels in menopausal stage
  • Synthesized in the testosterone then diffuses out of theca cells in ovaries 
  • Used to assess ovarian function and serves as neg feedback for FSH
• Transport Proteins of Estradiol (E2):

  • Albumin (60%)
  • SHBG (38%)
  • Free form (2%)
• Method used for Estradiol

  Immunoassay
• Estriol (E3)

  • Metabolite of E2
  • Estrogen found in maternal urine
  • Metabolite of intraovarian & extra glandular conversion
  • Major estrogen secreted by placenta during pregnancy
  • Formation during pregnancy is dependent on fetal & placental function
  • Used as marker for Down Syndrome
  • Together w/ AFP & hCG
• Estriol (E3) assesses the ff:

  • Fetoplacental unit / Fetoplacental viability
  • Postdate gestations
  • Intrauterine retardation

  Promotes uteroplacental blood flow as potently as other estrogens
• Method & Sample used for Estriol (E3)

  Method: Immunoassay

  Sample: Serum
• Estetrol (E4)

  • Natural steroid produced by the human fetal liver
  • A human natural estrogen and only produced during pregnancy
  • Reaches the maternal circulation through the placenta
  • Mainly excreted in urine
  • Doesn’t bind to transport protein, Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG)
• Progesterone

  • Dominant hormone in pregnancies
  • A Carbon-21 steroid hormone
  • Produced mainly by the granulosa (lutein) cells in corpus luteum in females
  • A prime secretory product of ovaries, aside from estrogen
  • The dominant hormone responsible for luteal phase of the menstrual cycle among females
  • Used primarily in fertility evaluation in females
  • It is intermediate in the synthesis of adrenal steroid & androstenedione
• Main function of progesterone

  • Serves to prepare the uterus for pregnancy and the lobules of breast for lactation**
• Deficiency of Progesterone results in?


  Failure of implantation of embryo

  Low progesterone: Abnormal pregnancy
• Metabolites of progesterone:

  • Pregnanediols 
  • Most easily measured
  • Pregnanediones
  • Pregnenolones
• Sample & Method used for Progesterone:

  Sample: Urine & serum

  Method: Immunoassay