TY - JOUR
T1 - Aromatase cytochrome P450, the enzyme responsible for estrogen biosynthesis
AU - Simpson, Evan R.
AU - Mahendroo, Mala S.
AU - Means, Gary D.
AU - Kilgore, Michael W.
AU - Hinshelwood, Margaret M.
AU - Graham-Lorence, Sandra
AU - Amarneh, Bilal
AU - Ito, Yuji
AU - Fisher, Carolyn R.
AU - Michael, M. Dodson
AU - Mendelson, Carole R.
AU - Bulun, Serdar E.
PY - 1994/6
Y1 - 1994/6
N2 - The biosynthesis of estrogens appears to occur throughout the entire vertebrate phylum including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, teleost and elasmobranch fish, and Agnatha (hagfish and lampreys) (1–3). It has also been described in the protochordate Amphioxus (4). To our knowledge, estrogen biosynthesis has not been reported in nonvertebrate animal phyla. In most vertebrate species that have been examined, aromatase expression occurs in the gonads and in the brain. This is true of the fish and avian species that have been examined as well as most mammals such as rodents. In many species estrogen biosynthesis in the brain has been implicated in sex-related behavior such as mating responses, and frequently a marked sexually dimorphic difference has been demonstrated. This is true, for example, in avian species in which the song of the male is important in courtship behavior (5). In the case of humans and a number of higher primates, there is a more extensive tissue distribution of estrogen biosynthesis, since this also occurs in the placenta of the developing fetus as well as in the adipose tissue of the adult.
AB - The biosynthesis of estrogens appears to occur throughout the entire vertebrate phylum including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, teleost and elasmobranch fish, and Agnatha (hagfish and lampreys) (1–3). It has also been described in the protochordate Amphioxus (4). To our knowledge, estrogen biosynthesis has not been reported in nonvertebrate animal phyla. In most vertebrate species that have been examined, aromatase expression occurs in the gonads and in the brain. This is true of the fish and avian species that have been examined as well as most mammals such as rodents. In many species estrogen biosynthesis in the brain has been implicated in sex-related behavior such as mating responses, and frequently a marked sexually dimorphic difference has been demonstrated. This is true, for example, in avian species in which the song of the male is important in courtship behavior (5). In the case of humans and a number of higher primates, there is a more extensive tissue distribution of estrogen biosynthesis, since this also occurs in the placenta of the developing fetus as well as in the adipose tissue of the adult.
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U2 - 10.1210/er.15.3.342
DO - 10.1210/er.15.3.342
M3 - Review article
C2 - 8076586
AN - SCOPUS:0028332035
SN - 0163-769X
VL - 15
SP - 342
EP - 355
JO - Endocrine Reviews
JF - Endocrine Reviews
IS - 3
ER -