Preface

*Estrogens - Recent Advances* provides updated information on the sex steroid hormone estrogen and the many roles it plays in the body. Most readers may be familiar with the function of estrogen in the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian/uterine axis. With this book, we move beyond the traditional role of estrogen action on the ovaries and uterus and discuss exciting areas of new research.

Chapter 1 "Introductory Chapter: Estrogen – Sex Steroid Hormone in Ovary and beyond" by Dr. Courtney Marsh reviews the many roles of estrogen in the human body.

In Chapter 2, "The Research Advances in G-Protein-Coupled Estrogen Receptor", Dr. Zhang Hongbing et al. explore the role of G proteins and the G-protein estrogen receptor in the human body. The author reviews the role of G-protein estrogen receptor agonists and antagonists in the context of potential modalities for patient treatment. The author also discusses various signaling pathways, including nuclear factor kappa B, Hippo, mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase, as they relate to human disease processes. This chapter highlights the key role between understanding receptor signaling and disease process to better understand the role of estrogen in the human body.

In Chapter 3, "Effect of Hypoestrogenism on Oral Cavity", Dr. Pitu Wulandari explores the effect of estrogen on the oral cavity. The author reviews a variety of oral disease states and discusses the effect of declining estrogen with menopause on oral health. In Chapter 4, "Functional Roles of Estradiol in the Olfactory and Vomeronasal Mucosae of Mammals: A Working Hypothesis", Shigeru Takami and Sawa Horie discuss the role of estrogen in olfactory mucosae and uses animal models to explore the novel topic of estrogen signaling as a potential model for human health. Both chapters look beyond the traditional role of estrogen in the ovary and uterus and focus on how estrogen affects oral and olfactory health.

Finally, in Chapter 5, "Permissive Role of Estrogens in Prostate Diseases", José Locia Espinoza and Luz Irene Pascual Mathey discuss the role of estrogen in the prostate. He reviews estrogen signaling in the prostate as well as disease states that are modified by estrogen.

Overall, this book provides the reader with a better understanding of the variety of effects estrogen has on the body. Thank you to all the authors and to the staff at IntechOpen for making this highly informative, novel book!

#### **Courtney Marsh MD, MPH**

**1**

Section 1

Estrogen Signaling

Associate Professor Department OBGYN, Associate Professor Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, USA Section 1
