NUCLEAR RECEPTORS - HORMONES, ANTIHORMONES AND REGULATION OF THE TRANSCRIPTION

Nuclear receptors are ligand-inducible transcription factors which res pond to endocrine, paracrine and, possibly, autocrine signals, thus tr iggering key events in early embryonal development, differentiation an d homeostasis. Here we discuss recent results which may lead to an und erstanding of the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional activation b y a given transcription activation function (TAF) of these activators and of the receptor isoform-specific activation of transcription. In a ddition, we present a concept of the mechanism of action of two differ ent types of antihormones.