Role of Gonadal Steroid Hormones in the Eye: Therapeutic Implications.

Gonadal steroid hormones are critical regulatory substances involved in various developmental and physiological processes from fetal development through adulthood. These hormones, derived from cholesterol, are synthesized primarily by the gonads, adrenal cortex, and placenta. The synthesis of these hormones involves a series of enzymatic steps starting in the mitochondria and includes enzymes such as cytochrome P450 and aromatase.