In general, androgens are considered "male sex hormones ", since they have masculinizing effects, while estrogens and progestogens are considered "female sex hormones ", since they have feminizing effects, although all types are present in each sex at different levels. Sources and Control of Secretion Young adult women produce two main sex steroids: estrogen and progesterone. There are two main forms of estrogen: estriol and estrone. Estriol, which constitutes approximately 60 percent of total estrogen, is more powerful than estrone. Before menopause, almost all estrogen and progesterone come from follicle cells, which surround the developing egg cells in the ovaries (Figure 14.1). Follicle cells also secrete inhibin. Stroma cells, which surround each ... Sex hormones affect the growth of many features related to our biological sex . That can include all sorts of things, from what body parts a person has, to a person’s bone structure and how much hair they have. Although estrogens are responsible for female sexual characteristics, they are also synthesized in males. Certain peripheral target tissues express aromatase, which facilitates the conversion of circulating testosterone to estradiol and androstenedione to estrone.
