Steroid hormones are a subgroup of lipids ('fat' chemicals), which share a chemical structure characterised by four fused rings (Figure2.5). Each ring has five carbon atoms (C). Cholesterol (chole - bile, and steros- solid) was the first of this group to be purified and gave us the group name 'steroids'. There are complex chemical pathways from cholesterol through to the sex steroids - progesterone, testosterone and the oestrogens. Testosterone is one of the male hormones, called androgens, and oestradiol is one of the female hormones called oestrogens. Men and women have both androgens and oestrogens although in women oestrogens predominate whereas in men there are more androgens. There is only one progesterone although synthetic 'progestogens' used in treatment regimens are similar in structure.
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Figure 2.5 The Steroid Pathway
Please click on the required question.
- 1 What is meant by the term anatomy?
- 2 What is the anatomy of the external genital area?
- 3 What are the internal genital organs?
- 4 What is the peritoneum?
- 5 Why did I develop into a girl?
- 6 How do sperm development and egg development differ?
- 7 What is meant by the term physiology?
- 8 What is a hormone?
- 9 What are steroid hormones?
- 10 What is sex hormone binding globulin?
- 11 What controls sex hormone release?
- 12 How do oestrogens and androgens affect me?
- 13 What are progesterone and progestogens?
- 14 How do my menstrual cycles occur?
- 15 Support Groups.
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This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.
I do hope that you find the answers to your women's health questions in the patient information and medical advice provided.
