Androgen receptor and mechanism of androgen action.
Androgen receptor is the intracellular protein that mediates biological actions of physiological androgens (testosterone and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone). Androgen receptor belongs to a large family of ligand-dependent proteins whose function is to modulate expression of genes and gene networks in a cell- and tissue-specific manner. The present overview describes the structurally important domains of the receptor protein, and discusses several aspects in the structure-function relationship, using naturally occurring receptor mutants in androgen insensitivity patients or experimental animals as examples. In addition, characteristics of androgen receptor expressed in a heterologous system are described, and their potential usefulness in specific molecular studies discussed.
Jänne
O A
OA
Department of Physiology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Palvimo
J J
JJ
Kallio
P
P
Mehto
M
M
D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
D000728:Androgens; D011944:Receptors, Androgen