[Membrane receptors for estradiol--new way of biological action]

Classical action of steroid hormones, called genomic, includes binding to their intracellular receptor, require hours or days to occur and require transcriptional effects with subsequent modulation of protein expression. Some of the biological effects induced by steroids, and mainly by sex steroids, take place within seconds or few minutes, time far too fast to be due to the genomic changes. The rapid, nongenomic action of estradiol are attributed to membrane action, probably through variety of proteins present in cell membrane. The rapid effects of steroid hormones are manifold, ranging from activation of protein and tyrosine kinases, G proteins, and modulation of ion channels. The nongenomic way of action includes also non-direct control of processes of transcription and gene expression. There are at least three different way to interact with cell membrane. Steroids may change membrane fluidity, without binding to any known protein or receptor. Another way is allosteric modulation of non-specific for steroid hormones receptors, or structural and enzymatic protein present in cell membrane. Evidence suggests that the classical steroid receptors can be localized at the plasma membrane, triggering signals typical for G-proteins coupled receptors. Physiological significance of nongenomic action of steroids needs to be elucidated.