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Steroid hormones are a group of hormones, derived from cholesterol, from the class of compounds known as steroids. They are secreted by the adrenal cortex, testes and ovaries, and by the placenta during pregnancy. On the basis of their receptors, steroid hormones have been classified into five groups: glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, androgens, oestrogens and progestogens.
The mitochondrial protease PARL is essential for male fertility in mice, and knockout of PARL leads to an arrest in spermatogenesis due to downregulation of respiratory chain complex IV proteins in the testes and a deficit in ATP production there.
New research on the direct effects of stress on the heart highlights the importance of the balance of stress hormone signalling through glucocorticoid receptors and mineralocorticoid receptors in cardiomyocytes to maintain cardiac health.
