Female sex hormones
Female sex hormones. These are estranes (C-18 steroids), the most important of which are estrogens: β-estradiol, estriol, and estrone. The ovaries and placenta are the most important organs synthesizing estrogens in a woman’s body, but they are also produced in the testes and adrenal cortex. The characteristic pathway of estrogen synthesis is the oxidation of androgens. During this process, the A ring of the molecule acquires aromatic properties. The reaction is catalyzed by the aromatase complex, which includes mixed function P450 oxidase, involves O2 and NADPH. If the substrate is testosterone, estradiol is formed, and if androstenedione, estrone is formed. The most important function of estrogens is to prepare the female reproductive organs. This is related to the control of ovulation, fertilization, blastocyst implantation, regulation of pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation.
Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė