Definition for Dehydroepiandrosterone
From Biology Forums Dictionary
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), also known as androstenolone or prasterone is an important endogenous steroid hormone. It is the most abundant circulating steroid in humans in whom it is produced in the adrenal glands, the gonads, and the brain, where it functions predominantly as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the androgen and estrogen sex steroids. However, DHEA also has a variety of potential biological effects in its own right, binding to an array of nuclear and cell surface receptors, and acting as a neurosteroid.