본 논문은 포유동물 난소에서의 신속한 프로게스테론(P4) 선호 전달경로에 관해 현재 통용되는 지식을 요약하였다. P4는 안드로겐과 에스트로겐 합성 과정에서의 중요한 중간 산물이면서 그 자체로도 배란, 난포폐쇄(atresia), 황체형성과정(luteinization)에서 결정적인 역할을 하며, 모든 포유동물의 초기 임신 유지에 필수적이다. 이와 같은 생리적인 중요성에도 불구하고 포유동물 난소에서의 정확한 P4 작용기작은 아직까지도 완전히 알려져 있지 않다

Progesterone(P4) is an important intermediate in the synthesis of androgens and estrogens. Furthermore, P4 itself plays a crucial role in ovulation, atresia and luteinization, and is essential for the continuation of early pregnancy in all mammalian species. In spite of the hormone's physiological importance, the exact action mechanism(s) of P4 in mammalian ovary has not been fully understood yet. In this context, a decades-long controversy regarding the identity of receptors that mediate non-genomic, transcription-independent cellular responses to P4 is presently attracting huge scientific interests. P4 may exert its action in mammalian ovary by several ways: 1) the well-documented genomic pathway, involving hormone binding to so-called classic cytosolic receptor(PGR) and subsequent modulation of gene expression by the ligand-receptor complex as transcription factor. 2) pathways are operating that do not act on the genome, therefore refered to as non-genomic actions. The prominent characteristics of the non-genomic P4 actions are: (i) rapid, (ii) insensitive to transcription inhibitors, (iii) transduced by membrane associated molecules. In particular, the non-genomic P4 actions could be mediated by: (a) classic genomic P4 receptor(PGR) that localizes at or near the plasma membrane, (b) a family of membrane progestin receptors(MPR , MPR and MPR ), (c) progesterone receptor membrane component I(PGRMC1), and (d) a membrane complex composed of serpine I mRNA binding protein(SERBP1). The present review summarized these rapid signaling pathways of P4 in the mammalian ovary.

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