Skip to main content

Estrogen Signaling in the Regulation of Female Reproductive Functions

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Fertility Control

Part of the book series: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology ((HEP,volume 198))

Abstract

Estrogens influence fertility and infertility in animals. This chapter reviews the use of estrogen as a contraceptive through the regulation of its production and action. It is concluded that the use of specific agonists and antagonists of estrogen action that avoid the global and unwanted side effects of estrogen offers new potential methods of contraception.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 259.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Adlercreutz H (1995) Phytoestrogens:epidemiology and a possible role in cancer protection. Environ Health Perspect 103(Suppl 7):103–112

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Britt KL, Findlay JK (2002) Estrogen actions in the ovary revisited. J Endocrinol 175:269–276

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Britt KL, Findlay JK (2003) Regulation of the phenotype of ovarian somatic cells by estrogen. Mol Cell Endocrinol 202:11–17

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clyne CD, Speed CJ, Zhou J, Simpson ER (2002) Liver receptor homologue-1 (LRH-1) regulates expression of aromatase in preadipocytes. J Biol Chem 277:20591–20597

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Couse JF, Korach KS (1999) Estrogen receptor null mice: what have we learned and where will they lead us? Endocr Rev 20:358–417

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Couse JF, Hewitt SC, Korach KS (2006) Steroid receptors in the ovary and uterus. In: Neill JD (ed) Knobil and Neill: physiology of reproduction, 3rd edn. Academic Press, New York, pp 593–678

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Curtis SW, Washburn TF, Sewall C, DiAugustine R, Lindzey J, Couse JF, Korach KS (1996) Physiological coupling of growth factor and steroid signaling pathways: estrogen receptor knockout mice lack estrogen-like response to EGF. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93:12626–12630

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Diczfalusy E, Fraser IS (1998) The discovery of reproductive steroid hormones and recognition of their physiological roles. In: Fraser IS, Jansen RPS, Lobo RA, Whitehead MI (eds) Estrogens and progesterones in clinical practice. Churchill Livingstone, London, pp 3–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher CR, Graves KH, Parlow AF, Simpson ER (1998) Characterization of mice deficient in aromatase (ArKO) because of targeted disruption of the cyp19 gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95:6965–6970

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hall JM, Couse JF, Korach KS (2001) The multifaceted mechanisms of estradiol and estrogen receptor signaling. J Biol Chem 276:36869–36872

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt SC, Deroo B, Hansen K, Collins J, Grissom S, Afshari CA, Korach KS (2003) Estrogen receptor-dependent genomic responses in the mouse uterus mirror the biphasic physiological response to estrogen. Mol Endocrinol 17:2070–2083

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt SC, Harrell JC, Korach KS (2005) Lessons in estrogen biology from knockout and transgenic animals. Ann Rev Physiol 67:285–308

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hisaw FL (1947) Development of the Graafian follicle and ovulation. Physiol Rev 27:95–119

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen EV, DeSombre ER (1973) Estrogen-receptor interaction. Science 182:126–134

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuiper GGJM, Enmark E, Pelto-Huikko M, Nilsson S, Gustafsson JA (1996) Cloning of a novel estrogen receptor expressed in the rat prostate and ovary. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93:5925–5930

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levin ER (2009) G protein-coupled receptor 30: estrogen receptor or collaborator? Endocrinology 150:1563–1565

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mueller SO, Korach KS (2001) Estrogen receptors and endocrine diseases: lessons from estrogen receptor knockout mice. Curr Opin Pharmacol 1:613–619

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Otto C, Fuchs I, Kauselmann G, Kern H, Zevnik B, Andreasen P, Schwarz G, Altmann H, Klewer M, Schoor M, Vonk R, Fritzemeier KH (2009) GPR30 does not mediate estrogenic responses in reproductive organs in mice. Biol Reprod 80:34–41

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pincus G, Rock J, Garcia C-R, Rice-Way E, Paniagua M, Rodriguez B, Pedras R (1958) Fertility control with oral contraception. Am J Obstet Gynecol 75:1333–1346

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharara FI, Seifer DB, Flaws JA (1998) Environmental toxins and female reproduction. Fert Steril 70:613–622

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simpson ER, Clyne CD, Rubin GL, Boon WC, Robertson KM, Britt KL, Speed CJ, Jones MEE (2002) Aromatase – a brief overview. Ann Rev Physiol 64:93–127

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Swan SH (2000) Intrauterine exposure to diethylstilbestrol: long term effects on humans. APMIS 108:793–804

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Support from the National Health & Medical Research Council of Australia (RegKeys #241000, #441101 and #550900) and Division of Intramural Research of the NIEHS/NIH to KSK.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. K. Findlay .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Findlay, J.K., Liew, S.H., Simpson, E.R., Korach, K.S. (2010). Estrogen Signaling in the Regulation of Female Reproductive Functions. In: Habenicht, UF., Aitken, R. (eds) Fertility Control. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 198. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02062-9_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics