BIOL354 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Vitellogenin, Phytoestrogens, Yolk
24 Jun 2020
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Document Summary
Environmental estrogen: most studied of the endocrine disruptors. Mimic or partly mimic estrogens by binding to hormone receptors or influencing cell signaling pathways: natural compounds can act as environmental estrogens. Eg. phytoestrogens occur in a variety of plants and fungi: synthetic compounds can also act as estrogens. Example of impairment: male fish living near municipal sewage outlets in england. Had both male and female sex characteristics and their livers produced vitellogenin vg: vg is a egg yolk protein, normally produced by females during egg production. Found alkylphenols, the breakdown products of chemicals in detergents. Also, low levels of natural (estradiol) & synthetic (ethinyl estradiol) estrogens main active ingredient in the contraceptive pill: population of the florida panther has been declining. Low sperm count & abnormal sperm: suppression of the immune system, dysfunction of the thyroid. Thought that the abnormalities were due to the lack of genetic diversity.
