Factors Regulating the Metabolism of Steroids

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the factors regulating the metabolism of steroids. There are two aspects to metabolic research—the search for the intermediate and final products of metabolism, and the study of the regulating mechanisms that control the formation and breakdown of these products. The hypothalamus, hypophysis, and steroid hormone-producing organs form a functional unit for the homeostatic regulation of the plasma level of hormones. This functional unit operates by the principle of automatic control. The control loop is divided into two parts: the controller and the controlled system. The steroid metabolic activity is not constant however can be affected by various exogenous and endogenous factors. Within the control loop, these factors function as disturbance variables, which can cause qualitative and quantitative changes in the controlled variable of the system, the plasma hormone level and hence in the input signal for the error-sensing device. The metabolism of steroid hormones of the ∆ 4 -3-ketone type is qualitatively and quantitatively dependent on sex in a large series of reactions.