The current and expanded view of transcriptional regulation by the steroid/thyroid superfamily of nuclear transcription factors integrates not only the hormone-dependent but also the hormone-independent cellular signaling mechanisms in physiology and reproduction. This effort has vastly been aided by the identification of steroid hormone receptors as transcriptional mediators of a variety of ligands, whose transcriptional response is dependent upon cross-talk with distinct signal transduction pathways, their recruitment of coregulators, alteration of chromatin structure and identification of specific interactive motifs within the receptors themselves. This review will provide a framework for the current concepts in the field of steroid hormone action as exemplified by our studies on progesterone receptor in female sexual behavior.

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