Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 1, 2026

Biochemical Reconstitution of Steroid Receptor•Hsp90 Protein Complexes and Reactivation of Ligand Binding
11:07

Biochemical Reconstitution of Steroid Receptor•Hsp90 Protein Complexes and Reactivation of Ligand Binding

Published on: September 21, 2011

Rapid signaling by steroid receptors

Ellis R Levin1

  • 1Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Long Beach, CA 90822, USA. ellis.levin@va.gov

American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology
|September 12, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Rapid steroid signaling, initiated at the cell surface, complements nuclear receptor actions. This pathway rapidly modifies proteins and influences gene transcription for diverse biological outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cellular Signaling

Background:

  • Steroid receptors primarily mediate gene transcription via nuclear actions, influencing development and disease.
  • Rapid, non-genomic effects of steroid hormones have been observed for decades, suggesting alternative signaling pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of rapid steroid signaling pathways.
  • To highlight the integrated role of rapid signaling with nuclear receptor actions.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on rapid steroid hormone effects.
  • Analysis of signaling mechanisms involving cell surface receptors and protein modification.
  • Integration of rapid signaling with nuclear transcription modulation.

Main Results:

  • Rapid steroid signaling is initiated at the cell surface, engaging specific binding proteins.
  • This signaling pathway rapidly alters protein structure and activity.
  • Rapid signaling collaborates with nuclear steroid receptors to modulate gene transcription.

Conclusions:

  • Rapid steroid signaling is a widespread phenomenon, extending to most steroid hormone-receptor systems.
  • These rapid actions are crucial for coordinating biological responses with nuclear actions.
  • Understanding both rapid and nuclear signaling provides a comprehensive view of steroid hormone function.

More Related Videos

Primary Culture of Rat Adrenocortical Cells and Assays of Steroidogenic Functions04:33

Primary Culture of Rat Adrenocortical Cells and Assays of Steroidogenic Functions

Published on: March 12, 2019

Reverse Yeast Two-hybrid System to Identify Mammalian Nuclear Receptor Residues that Interact with Ligands and/or Antagonists10:51

Reverse Yeast Two-hybrid System to Identify Mammalian Nuclear Receptor Residues that Interact with Ligands and/or Antagonists

Published on: November 15, 2013

Related Concept Videos

Signal Transduction: Overview01:26

Signal Transduction: Overview

Cells respond to many types of information, often through receptor proteins positioned on the membrane. They respond to chemical signals, such as hormones, neurotransmitters, and other signaling molecules, initiating a series of molecular reactions to produce an appropriate response. This is called signal transduction. Cells also coordinate different responses elicited by the same signaling molecule via mediators, allowing molecular cross-talk.
Typically, signal transduction involves three...
Internal Receptors01:31

Internal Receptors

Many cellular signals are hydrophilic and therefore cannot pass through the plasma membrane. However, small or hydrophobic signaling molecules can cross the hydrophobic core of the plasma membrane and bind to internal, or intracellular, receptors that reside within the cell. Many mammalian steroid hormones use this mechanism of cell signaling, as does nitric oxide (NO) gas.
Internal Receptors01:31

Internal Receptors

Many cellular signals are hydrophilic and therefore cannot pass through the plasma membrane. However, small or hydrophobic signaling molecules can cross the hydrophobic core of the plasma membrane and bind to internal, or intracellular, receptors that reside within the cell. Many mammalian steroid hormones use this mechanism of cell signaling, as does nitric oxide (NO) gas.
Types of Receptors: Internal Receptors01:07

Types of Receptors: Internal Receptors

Many cellular signals are hydrophilic and cannot pass through the plasma membrane. However, small or hydrophobic signaling molecules can cross the hydrophobic core of the plasma membrane and bind intracellular receptors that reside within the cell cytoplasm or nucleus. Many mammalian steroid hormones and nitric oxide (NO) gas use this cell signaling mechanism.
Similar to membrane-bound receptors, the binding of a ligand to the intracellular receptor of causes a conformational change in the...
Chemical Signaling in the Endocrine System01:08

Chemical Signaling in the Endocrine System

A signaling cascade is a series of events that facilitates the transmission of information within or between cells, culminating in a targeted response in the recipient cell. As chemical messengers, hormones are pivotal in initiating and modulating these intricate signaling cascades based on their solubility.
Lipid-soluble hormones, such as steroid hormones, demonstrate an intracellular action. These hormones traverse cell membranes due to their lipid nature. Once inside the target cell, they...
Amplifying Signals via Second Messengers01:15

Amplifying Signals via Second Messengers

Many receptor binding ligands are hydrophilic; they do not cross the cell membrane but bind to cell-surface receptors. Thus, their message must be relayed by second messengers present in the cell cytoplasm. There are several second messenger pathways, each with its own way of relaying information. For example, the G protein-coupled receptors can activate both phosphoinositol and cyclic AMP (cAMP) second messenger pathways. The phosphoinositol pathway is active when the receptor induces...