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Steroid Hormone Pathway
Aka: Steroid Hormone Pathway, Sex Hormone Synthesis, Cortisol Synthesis, Aldosterone Synthesis
- See Also
- Adrenal Gland Physiology
- Serum Cortisol
- Physiology
- Images

- Cholesterol is precursor for 5 steroid Hormone classes
- Progestagens (e.g. Progesterone)
- Glucocorticoids (e.g. Cortisol)
- Mineralcorticoids (e.g. Aldosterone)
- Androgens (e.g. Testosterone)
- Estrogens
- Synthesis sites
- Adrenal Cortex: Glucocorticoids, Mineralcorticoids
- Women
- Corpus luteum: Progestagens
- Ovary: Estrogens
- Men
- Testis: Testosterone
- Pathophysiology
- Aldosterone
- Hyperaldosteronism
- Cortisol
- Addison's Disease (Adrenal Insufficiency)
- Cushings Disease
- Androgens
- Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
- 21-Hydroxylase deficiency is most common
- Epinephrine and Norepinephrine (Adrenal Medulla)
- Pheochromocytoma
- Step 1: Steroid Synthesis - Cholesterol to Precursors
- Cholesterol converted to Pregnenolone
- Stimulated by ACTH release from anterior pituitary
- Key enzyme: Desmolase
- Pregnenolone converted to Progesterone
- Pregnenolone is precursor of all steroids
- Key enzyme: 3-B-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase
- Progesterone converted to 17-a-hydroxyprogesterone
- Key enzyme: 17-Hydroxylase
- 17-a-hydroxyprogesterone is precursor
- Cortisol Synthesis (Go to step 2)
- Aldosterone Synthesis (Go to Step 4)
- 17-a-hydroxyprogesterone converted to Androstenedione
- Key enzyme: 3-B-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase
- Androstenedione is sex Hormone precursor (see Step 3)
- Estrone
- Testosterone
- Estradiol
- Step 2: Cortisol Synthesis from 17-a-hydroxyprogesterone
- 17-a-hydroxyprogesterone converted to 11-Deoxycortisol
- Key enzyme: 21-Hydroxylase
- Most common enzyme deficiency in steroid synthesis
- Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (with Virilization)
- 11-Deoxycortisol converted to Cortisol
- Key enzyme: 11-Hydroxylase
- Enzyme deficiency related condition
- Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (with Virilization)
- Cortisol
- Step 3: Sex Hormones from Androstenedione
- Androstenedione converted to Estrone or
- Androstenedione converted to Testosterone
- Testosterone converted to Estradiol
- Step 4: Aldosterone from Progesterone
- Progesterone converted to 11-Deoxycorticosterone
- Key enzyme: 21-Hydroxylase
- 11-Deoxycorticosterone converted to Cortisosterone
- Key enzyme: 11-Hydroxylase
- Corticosterone converted to Aldosterone
- Aldosterone
- See Sodium and Water Homeostasis