Shown also is the major classes of steroid hormones: progestagens, mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids, androgens and estrogens. However, they partly overlap, e.g. mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids.

• White circles indicate changes in molecular structure compared with precursors. For more information on interpretation of molecular structures, see structural formula.
• Arrows are shown as unidirectional to indicate the usual net directions, but technically all biochemical reactions are considered bidirectional.

HSD: Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase

References:

• Boron WF, Boulpaep EL (2003) Medical Physiology: A Cellular And Molecular Approach, Elsevier/Saunders, pp. page 1,300 ISBN: 1-4160-2328-3.
• For the absence of conversion of corticosterone to cortisol: Steroid hormone biosynthesis Reference pathway (KO). KEGG: Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Kyoto University Bioinformatics Center. (1 November 2013).

There is no appreciable conversion of corticosterone to cortisol in the adrenal cortex as 21-OH steroids are poor substrates for 17-alpha hydroxylase.

Further reading:

• Hanukoglu I (1992). "Steroidogenic enzymes: structure, function, and role in regulation of steroid hormone biosynthesis". The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 43 (8): 779–804. DOI:10.1016/0960-0760(92)90307-5. PMID 22217824.
• Payne AH, Hales DB (2004). "Overview of steroidogenic enzymes in the pathway from cholesterol to active steroid hormones". Endocrine Reviews 25 (6): 947–70. DOI:10.1210/er.2003-0030. PMID 15583024.

See also:

• Wikipedia:Steroidogenesis
• Wikiversity:Diagram of the pathways of human steroidogenesis