Steroid and related receptors

Abstract

Steroid hormone receptors stimulate gene transcription by binding to DNA as homodimers, whereas many other members of the nuclear receptor family appear to function as heterodimers or as monomers. This is important for target gene recognition and, given that many of the receptors are expressed in multiple forms, generates many combinations of ligand-dependent transcription factors that regulate the expression of different genes in diverse pathways.