Role of Sex Hormone Receptors in Ovulation

Sex hormones including progestins, androgens, and estrogens produced de novo from cholesterol within the ovary play important roles in the growth and differentiation of reproductive tissues and in the maintenance of fertility. Sex hormone effects are often mediated through the sex hormone receptors (SRs). SRs, members of the steroid receptor superfamily, function as sex hormone-dependent transcriptional regulators. After binding the ligand, the activated SR is able to recognize palindromic DNA sequences, called sex hormone response elements, and form a complex with SR-associated proteins to induce the expression of SR target genes. The precise role of sex hormones in follicular development and ovulation remains to be elucidated. The data presented here arise from studies designed to resolve this issue. The use of gene-targeting technology and transgenic techniques to disrupt the genes encoding several members of the SR family, including progesterone receptor A, progesterone receptor B, estrogen receptor !, estrogen receptor”, and androgen receptor, has had a great impact, evident in the generation of several “knockout” mice for SRs. This review discusses the advances originating from the gene-targeting boom and the SR knockout mice. The broad content of this review is a reflection of the current state of research in female ovulation from these knockout female mice models.