Steroid hormone - wikipedia Steroid hormone Steroid hormone Drug class Estradiol, an important estrogen steroid hormone in both women and men. Class identifiers Synonyms Adrenal steroid ; Gonadal steroid Use Various Biological target Steroid hormone receptors Chemical class Steroidal ; Nonsteroidal In Wikidata A steroid hormone is a steroid that acts as a hormone. Steroid hormones can be grouped into two classes : corticosteroids ( typically made in the adrenal cortex, hence cortico - ) and sex steroids ( typically made in the gonads or placenta ). Within those two classes are five types according to the receptors to which they bind : glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids ( corticosteroids ), androgens, estrogens, and progestogens ( sex steroids ). Vitamin D derivatives are a sixth closely related hormone system with homologous receptors. They have some of the characteristics of true steroids as receptor ligands. Steroid hormones help control metabolism, inflammation, immune functions, salt and water balance, development of sexual characteristics, and the ability to withstand illness and injury. The term steroid describes both hormones produced by the body and artificially produced medications that duplicate the action for the naturally occurring steroids. Contents 1 Synthesis 1.1 Synthetic steroids and sterols 2 Transport 3 Mechanisms of action and effects 3.1 Genomic pathways 3.2 Non-genomic pathways 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links Synthesis Further information : Steroidogenesis Steroidogenesis with enzymes and intermediates. The natural steroid hormones are generally synthesized from cholesterol in the gonads and adrenal glands. These forms of hormones are lipids. They can pass through the cell membrane as they are fat - soluble, and then bind to steroid hormone receptors ( which may be nuclear or cytosolic depending on the steroid hormone ) to bring about changes within the cell. Steroid hormones are generally carried in the blood, bound to specific carrier proteins such as sex hormone - binding globulin or corticosteroid - binding globulin. Further conversions and catabolism occurs in the liver, in other `` peripheral '' tissues, and in the target tissues. Synthetic steroids and sterols A variety of synthetic steroids and sterols have also been contrived. Most are steroids, but some nonsteroidal molecules can interact with the steroid receptors because of a similarity of shape. Some synthetic steroids are weaker or stronger than the natural steroids whose receptors they activate. Some examples of synthetic steroid hormones : Glucocorticoids : alclometasone, prednisone, dexamethasone, triamcinolone, cortisone Mineralocorticoid : fludrocortisone Vitamin D: dihydrotachysterol Androgens : oxandrolone, oxabolone, testosterone, nandrolone ( also known as anabolic -- androgenic steroids or simply anabolic steroids ) Oestrogens : diethylstilbestrol ( DES ) and estradiol Progestins : norethisterone, medroxyprogesterone acetate, hydroxyprogesterone caproate. Some steroid antagonists : Androgen : cyproterone acetate Progestins : mifepristone, gestrinone Transport Free hormone hypothesis 2 Steroid hormones are transported through the blood by being bound to carrier proteins -- serum proteins that bind them and increase the hormones ' solubility in water. Some examples are sex hormone - binding globulin ( SHBG ), corticosteroid - binding globulin, and albumin. Most studies say that hormones can only affect cells when they are not bound by serum proteins. In order to be active, steroid hormones must free themselves from their blood - solubilizing proteins and either bind to extracellular receptors, or passively cross the cell membrane and bind to nuclear receptors. This idea is known as the free hormone hypothesis. This idea is shown in Figure 1 to the right. This shows a possible pathway through which steroid hormones are endocytosed and proceed to affect cells via a genomic pathway. One study has found that these steroid - carrier complexes are bound by megalin, a membrane receptor, and are then taken into cells via endocytosis. One possible pathway is that once inside the cell these complexes are taken to the lysosome, where the carrier protein is degraded and the steroid hormone is released into the cytoplasm of the target cell. The hormone then follows a genomic pathway of action. This process is shown in Figure 2 to the right. The role of endocytosis in steroid hormone transport is not well understood and is under further investigation. In order for steroid hormones to cross the lipid bilayer of cells they must overcome energetic barriers that would prevent their entering or exiting the membrane. Gibbs free energy is an important concept here. These hormones, which are all derived from cholesterol, have hydrophilic functional groups at either end and hydrophobic carbon backbones. When steroid hormones are entering membranes free energy barriers exist when the functional groups are entering the hydrophobic interior of membrane, but it is energetically favorable for the hydrophobic core of these hormones to enter lipid bilayers. These energy barriers and wells are reversed for hormones exiting membranes. Steroid hormones easily enter and exit the membrane at physiologic conditions. They have been shown experimentally to cross membranes near a rate of 20 μm / s, depending on the hormone. Though it is energetically more favorable for hormones to be in the membrane than in the ECF or ICF, they do in fact leave the membrane once they have entered it. This is an important consideration because cholesterol -- the precursor to all steroid hormones -- does not leave the membrane once it has embedded itself inside. The difference between cholesterol and these hormones is that cholesterol is in a much larger negative Gibb 's free energy well once inside the membrane, as compared to these hormones. This is because the carbohydrate tail on cholesterol has a very favorable interaction with the interior of lipid bilayers. Mechanisms of action and effects There are many different mechanisms through which steroid hormones affect their target cells. All of these different pathways can be classified as having either a genomic effect, or a non-genomic effect. Genomic pathways are slow and result in altering transcription levels of certain proteins in the cell ; non-genomic pathways are much faster. Genomic pathways The first identified mechanisms of steroid hormone action were the genomic effects. In this pathway, the free hormones first pass through the cell membrane because they are fat soluble. In the cytoplasm, the steroid may or may not undergo an enzyme - mediated alteration such as reduction, hydroxylation, or aromatization. Then the steroid binds to a specific steroid hormone receptor, also known as a nuclear receptor, which is a large metalloprotein. Upon steroid binding, many kinds of steroid receptors dimerize : two receptor subunits join together to form one functional DNA - binding unit that can enter the cell nucleus. Once in the nucleus, the steroid - receptor ligand complex binds to specific DNA sequences and induces transcription of its target genes. Non-genomic pathways Because non-genomic pathways include any mechanism that is not a genomic effect, there are various non-genomic pathways. However, all of these pathways are mediated by some type of steroid hormone receptor found at the plasma membrane. Ion channels, transporters, G - protein coupled receptors ( GPCR ), and membrane fluidity have all been shown to be affected by steroid hormones. Of these, GPCR linked proteins are the most common. For more information on these proteins and pathways, visit the steroid hormone receptor page. See also List of investigational hormonal agents Membrane steroid receptor References Jump up ^ Funder JW, Krozowski Z, Myles K, Sato A, Sheppard KE, Young M ( 1997 ). `` Mineralocorticoid receptors, salt, and hypertension ''. Recent Prog Horm Res. 52 : 247 -- 260. PMID 9238855. ^ Jump up to : Gupta BBP, Lalchhandama K ( 2002 ). `` Molecular mechanisms of glucocorticoid action '' ( PDF ). Current Science. 83 ( 9 ) : 1103 -- 1111. Jump up ^ Frye CA ( 2009 ). `` Steroids, reproductive endocrine function, and affect. A review ''. Minerva Ginecol. 61 ( 6 ) : 541 -- 562. PMID 19942840. Jump up ^ Häggström, Mikael ; Richfield, David ( 2014 ). `` Diagram of the pathways of human steroidogenesis ''. WikiJournal of Medicine. 1 ( 1 ). doi : 10.15347 / wjm / 2014.005. ISSN 2002 - 4436. ^ Jump up to : Linda J. Heffner ; Danny J. Schust ( 2010 ). The Reproductive System at a Glance. John Wiley and Sons. pp. 16 --. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4051 - 9452 - 5. Retrieved 28 November 2010. Jump up ^ Nahar L, Sarker SD, Turner AB ( 2007 ). `` A review on synthetic and natural steroid dimers : 1997 - 2006 ''. Curr Med Chem. 14 ( 12 ) : 1349 -- 1370. doi : 10.2174 / 092986707780597880. PMID 17504217. Jump up ^ Adams JS ( 2005 ). `` '' Bound '' to work : The free hormone hypothesis revisited ``. Cell. 122 ( 5 ) : 647 -- 9. doi : 10.1016 / j. cell. 2005.08. 024. Jump up ^ Hammes A ( 2005 ). `` Role of endocytosis in cellular uptake of sex steroids ''. Cell. 122 ( 5 ) : 751 -- 62. doi : 10.1016 / j. cell. 2005.06. 032. ^ Jump up to : Oren I ( 2004 ). `` Free diffusion of steroid hormones across biomembranes : A simplex search with implicit solvent model calculations ''. Biophysical Journal. 87 ( 2 ) : 768 -- 79. doi : 10.1529 / biophysj. 103.035527. ^ Jump up to : Rousseau G ( 2013 ). `` Fifty years ago : The quest for steroid hormone receptors ''. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. 375 ( 1 -- 2 ) : 10 -- 3. doi : 10.1016 / j. mce. 2013.05. 005. PMID 23684885. Jump up ^ Moore FL, Evans SJ ( 1995 ). `` Steroid hormones use non-genomic mechanisms to control brain functions and behaviors : a review of evidence ''. Brain Behav Evol. 54 ( 4 ) : 41 -- 50. PMID 10516403. Jump up ^ Marcinkowska E, Wiedłocha A ( 2002 ). `` Steroid signal transduction activated at the cell membrane : from plants to animals ''. Acta Biochim Pol. 49 ( 9 ) : 735 -- 745. PMID 12422243. Jump up ^ Wang C, Liu Y, Cao JM ( 2014 ). `` G protein - coupled receptors : Extranuclear mediators for the non-genomic actions of steroids ''. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 15 ( 9 ) : 15412 -- 25. doi : 10.3390 / ijms150915412. PMC 4200746. PMID 25257522. Further reading Brook CG ( 1999 ). `` Mechanism of puberty ''. Horm. Res. 51 Suppl 3 : 52 -- 4. doi : 10.1159 / 000053162. PMID 10592444. Holmes SJ, Shalet SM ( 1996 ). `` Role of growth hormone and sex steroids in achieving and maintaining normal bone mass ''. Horm. Res. 45 : 86 -- 93. doi : 10.1159 / 000184765. PMID 8742125. Ottolenghi C, Uda M, Crisponi L, Omari S, Cao A, Forabosco A, Schlessinger D ( Jan 2007 ). `` Determination and stability of sex ''. BioEssays. 29 ( 1 ) : 15 -- 25. doi : 10.1002 / bies. 20515. PMID 17187356. Couse JF, Korach KS ( June 1998 ). `` Exploring the role of sex steroids through studies of receptor deficient mice ''. J. Mol. Med. 76 : 497 -- 511. doi : 10.1007 / s001090050244. PMID 9660168. McEwen BS ( 1992 ). `` Steroid hormones : effect on brain development and function ''. Horm. Res. 37 Suppl 3 : 1 -- 10. doi : 10.1159 / 000182393. PMID 1330863. Simons ( Aug 2008 ). `` physiological versus pharmacological steroid hormone actions ''. BioEssays. 30 ( 8 ) : 744 -- 56. doi : 10.1002 / bies. 20792. PMC 2742386. PMID 18623071. Han, Thang S. ; Walker, Brian R. ; Arlt, Wiebke ; Ross, Richard J. ( 17 December 2013 ). `` Treatment and health outcomes in adults with congenital adrenal hyperplasia ''. Nature Reviews Endocrinology. 10 ( 2 ) : 115 -- 124. doi : 10.1038 / nrendo. 2013.239. PMID 24342885 Figure 2 : The adrenal steroidogenesis pathway. External links An animated and narrated tutorial about nuclear receptor signaling Virtual Chembook stedwards.edu How Steroid Hormones Work Hormones Endocrine glands Hypothalamic - pituitary Hypothalamus GnRH TRH Dopamine CRH GHRH Somatostatin ( GHIH ) MCH Posterior pituitary Oxytocin Vasopressin Anterior pituitary FSH LH TSH Prolactin POMC CLIP ACTH MSH Endorphins Lipotropin GH Adrenal axis Adrenal cortex aldosterone cortisol cortisone DHEA DHEA - S androstenedione Adrenal medulla epinephrine norepinephrine Thyroid Thyroid hormone Calcitonin Thyroid axis Parathyroid PTH Gonadal axis Testis testosterone AMH inhibin Ovary estradiol progesterone activin and inhibin relaxin Placenta hCG HPL estrogen progesterone Pancreas glucagon insulin amylin somatostatin pancreatic polypeptide Pineal gland melatonin N, N - dimethyltryptamine 5 - methoxy - N, N - dimethyltryptamine Other Thymus Thymosins Thymosin α1 Beta thymosins Thymopoietin Thymulin Digestive system Stomach gastrin ghrelin Duodenum CCK Incretins GIP GLP - 1 secretin motilin VIP Ileum enteroglucagon peptide YY Liver / other Insulin - like growth factor IGF - 1 IGF - 2 Adipose tissue leptin adiponectin resistin Skeleton Osteocalcin Kidney renin EPO calcitriol prostaglandin Heart Natriuretic peptide ANP BNP Endogenous steroids Precursors Cholesterol 22R - Hydroxycholesterol 20α, 22R - Dihydroxycholesterol Pregnenolone 11β - Hydroxypregnenolone 17α - Hydroxypregnenolone 21 - Hydroxypregnenolone 17α, 21 - Dihydroxypregnenolone 11β, 17α, 21 - Trihydroxypregnenolone Corticosteroids Glucocorticoids 3α, 5α - Tetrahydrocorticosterone 5α - Dihydrocorticosterone 11 - Deoxycorticosterone 11 - Deoxycortisol 11 - Ketoprogesterone 21 - Deoxycortisol 21 - Deoxycortisone Corticosterone Cortisol Cortisone 17α - Hydroxypregnenolone 17α - Hydroxyprogesterone Pregnenolone Progesterone Mineralocorticoids 5α - Dihydroaldosterone 11 - Dehydrocorticosterone ( 11 - oxocorticosterone, 17 - deoxycortisone ) 11 - Deoxycortisol 11 - Deoxycorticosterone 11β - Hydroxyprogesterone ( 21 - deoxycorticosterone ) 18 - Hydroxy - 11 - deoxycorticosterone 18 - Hydroxycorticosterone 18 - Hydroxyprogesterone Aldosterone Corticosterone Cortisol Sex steroids Androgens 11 - Ketodihydrotestosterone 11 - Ketotestosterone 7β - Hydroxyepiandrosterone 11β - Hydroxyandrostenedione Adrenosterone ( 11 - ketoandrostenedione ) Androstenediol Androstenedione Androsterone Dehydroandrosterone DHEA DHEA sulfate Dihydrotestosterone Epiandrosterone Epitestosterone 16α - Hydroxyandrostenedione 16α - Hydroxy - DHEA 16α - Hydroxy - DHEA sulfate Testosterone Metabolites : 3α - Androstanediol 3α - Androstanediol glucuronide 3β - Androstanediol 3α, 5β - Androstanediol 3β, 5β - Androstanediol 5β - Androstanedione 5β - Dihydrotestosterone Androstanetriols Androstenediol sulfate Androsterone glucuronide Androsterone sulfate Dihydrotestosterone glucuronide Dihydrotestosterone sulfate Etiocholanolone Etiocholanolone glucuronide Epietiocholanolone Testosterone glucuronide Testosterone sulfate Estrogens Estranes : Estetrol Estradiol Estrone Estriol 16β - Epiestriol ( 16β - hydroxyestradiol ) 17α - Epiestriol ( 16α - hydroxy - 17α - estradiol ) 16β, 17α - Epiestriol ( 16β - hydroxy - 17α - estradiol ) 2 - Hydroxyestradiol 2 - Hydroxyestriol 2 - Hydroxyestrone 4 - Hydroxyestradiol 4 - Hydroxyestriol 4 - Hydroxyestrone 4 - Methoxyestradiol 16α - Hydroxyestrone Others : 27 - Hydroxycholesterol 3α - Androstanediol 3β - Androstanediol 4 - Androstenedione 5 - Androstenediol DHEA DHEA sulfate 7 - Keto - DHEA 7α - Hydroxy - DHEA 16α - Hydroxy - DHEA Metabolites : 2 - Methoxyestradiol 2 - Methoxyestrone 4 - Methoxyestrone Estradiol glucuronide Estradiol sulfate Estrone glucuronide Estrone sulfate Estriol glucuronide Estriol sulfate Lipoidal estradiol ( e.g., estradiol stearate, estradiol palmitate ) Progestogens Progesterone 16α - Hydroxyprogesterone 17α - Hydroxyprogesterone 20α - Dihydroprogesterone 5α - Dihydroprogesterone 11 - Deoxycorticosterone 5α - DHDOC Metabolites : Allopregnanediol Pregnanediol Pregnanediol glucuronide Pregnanetriol Neurosteroids Cholestanes : 24S - Hydroxycholesterol Cholesterol Pregnanes : 3α - Dihydroprogesterone 3β - Dihydroprogesterone 5α - Dihydrocorticosterone 5α - Dihydroprogesterone 5β - Dihydroprogesterone Allopregnanolone Corticosterone DHC DHDOC 11 - Deoxycorticosterone Epipregnanolone Isopregnanolone Pregnanolone Pregnenolone Pregnenolone sulfate Progesterone THB THDOC Androstanes : 3α - Androstanediol 3α - Androstenol 7 - Keto - DHEA 7α - Hydroxy - DHEA 7β - Hydroxy - DHEA 7α - Hydroxyepiandrosterone 7β - Hydroxyepiandrosterone Androsterone DHEA DHEA sulfate Etiocholanolone Pheromones : 3α - Androstenol 3β - Androstenol Androstadienol Androstadienone Androstenone Androsterone Estratetraenol Others Vitamin D: 7 - Dehydrocholesterol Calcidiol / Calcifediol Calcitriol Cholecalciferol Others : 7α - Hydroxycholesterol 11α - Hydroxyprogesterone 11β - Hydroxyprogesterone Cholesterol sulfate Nuclear receptor modulators AhR Agonists : Arachidonic acid metabolites ( e.g., lipoxin A4, prostaglandin G2 ) Dietary carotenoids Flutamide Halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons ( e.g., polychlorinated dibenzodioxins ( e.g., TCDD ), dibenzofurans, biphenyls ) Modified low - density lipoproteins Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ( e.g., 3 - methylcholanthrene, benzo ( a ) pyrene, benzanthracenes, benzoflavones ( e.g., beta - naphthoflavone ) ) Tapinarof Tetrapyroles ( e.g., bilirubin ) Tryptophan derivatives ( e.g., indigo dye, indirubin ) Antagonists : 7 - Ketocholesterol CAR See here instead. ERR ERRα Agonists : 6, 3 ′, 4 ′ - Trihydroxyflavone Biochanin A Cholesterol Daidzein Genistein Antagonists : Diethylstilbestrol XCT - 790 ERRβ Agonists : DY - 131 ( GSK - 9089 ) GSK - 4716 ( GW - 4716 ) Antagonists : 4 - Hydroxytamoxifen ( afimoxifene ) Diethylstilbestrol ERRγ Agonists : Bisphenol A DY - 131 ( GSK - 9089 ) GSK - 4716 ( GW - 4716 ) Antagonists : 4 - Hydroxytamoxifen ( afimoxifene ) Diethylstilbestrol FXR Agonists : Bile acids Cafestol Chenodeoxycholic acid Fexaramine GW - 4064 Obeticholic acid Antagonists : Guggulsterone LXR Agonists : 22R - Hydroxycholesterol 24S - Hydroxycholesterol 27 - Hydroxycholesterol Cholestenoic acid DMHCA GW - 3965 Hypocholamide T - 0901317 Antagonists : Efavirenz PPAR See here instead. PXR See here instead. Retinoid See here instead. SHR AR See here instead. ER See here instead. PR See here instead. GR See here instead. MR See here instead. THR See here instead. VDR See here instead. See also Receptor / signaling modulators Leukotriene signaling modulators Prostanoid signaling modulators NDL : 00571768 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steroid_hormone&oldid=814919171 '' Categories : Steroid hormones Steroids Talk Contents About Wikipedia Brezhoneg Català Deutsch Español فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Slovenščina کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Svenska Türkçe Українська 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 11 December 2017, at 18 : 12. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what type of hormone can cross a cell membrane easily
Answer: lipids