Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2010 Mar 5;316(1):93-102. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2009.07.021. Epub 2009 Jul 29.
Steroid hormones are believed to enter cells solely by free diffusion through the plasma membrane. However, recent studies suggest the existence of cellular uptake pathways for carrier-bound steroids. Similar to the clearance of cholesterol via lipoproteins, these pathways involve the recognition of carrier proteins by endocytic receptors on the surface of target cells, followed by internalization and cellular delivery of the bound sterols. Here, we discuss the emerging concept that steroid hormones can selectively enter steroidogenic tissues by receptor-mediated endocytosis, and we discuss the implications of these uptake pathways for steroid hormone metabolism and action in vivo.
类固醇激素被认为仅通过自由扩散穿过质膜进入细胞。然而，最近的研究表明存在载体结合的类固醇的细胞摄取途径。类似于通过脂蛋白清除胆固醇，这些途径涉及靶细胞表面的内吞受体对载体蛋白的识别，随后是结合甾醇的内化和细胞递呈。在这里，我们讨论了类固醇激素可以通过受体介导的内吞作用选择性进入甾体生成组织的这一新兴概念，并讨论了这些摄取途径对类固醇激素代谢和体内作用的影响。
