[Nuclear receptors]

Nuclear receptors form a superfamily of transcriptional regulators including both classical hormone receptors and orphan receptors. The functional anatomy of the receptors is described as well as their interaction with coactivators, cointegrators and corepressors. Nuclear receptors activate and inhibit gene transcription by regulating histone acetylases and histone deacetylases. Receptor isoforms (oestrogen receptors alpha and beta), ligands exerting differential effects on the same receptor and the mechanism of action of antihormones are discussed.