Endocrine control of steroidogenesis in granulosa cells.

This review offers a summary of an increasingly complex literature which exists on the specific endocrine control of granulosa cell steroidogenesis. Further developments in cell biology will ultimately aid our greater understanding of pathophysiological regulation of the ovarian events underlying the human menstrual cycle. While we are beginning to unravel many of the important operational facets of this integrated process, our knowledge is still limited. Important questions remain to many clinical syndromes involving altered ovarian function, for example primary ovarian failure, polycystic ovary disease, resistant ovary syndrome, and so on. However, with the rapid continuing expansion of cellular and molecular technologies gaps in our understanding may be bridged in the near future, and thus enable physicians to evaluate better and treat disorders of ovarian function.