Few things in life are "free": cellular uptake of steroid hormones by an active transport mechanism.
Conventional dogma holds that steroid hormones traverse cell membranes passively, owing to their lipophilic nature. The recently characterized protein megalin, however, functions as a transport protein on cell surfaces to carry steroids across the plasma membrane. Upon hydrolysis of steroid-associated binding globulins in lysosomes, free hormone is liberated and may exert its effects in the cell. Megalin-independent mechanisms of steroid uptake are likely important too, as the phenotypes of megalin-deficient mice do not completely mimic the phenotypes of androgen receptor- or estrogen receptor-null mice.
Lin
Benjamin C
BC
Departments of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-2280, USA.
Scanlan
Thomas S
TS
D000728:Androgens / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000502:physiology; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000502:physiology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology*; D026561:Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice
D000728:Androgens; D004967:Estrogens; D026561:Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein-2