[Sex steroids and bone tissue].

The precise mechanism of action of sexual steroids in the regulation of bone tissue is still poorly understood. Besides the indirect action via the production of calciotropic hormones, the fact that receptors respond to oestrogens as well as to androgens and progesterone is evidence that sexual steroids have a direct action in regulating bone activity. The anti-osteoclastic action of oestrogens, via the modulation in osteoblastic production of different substances such as interleukin-1 and -6, TGF beta, GM-CSF which inhibit osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption activity, is well documented. More recently, the direct role in osteoclast inhibition was suggested by the observation that osteoclasts carry oestrogen receptors. Likewise, certain in vivo and in vitro data suggest that oestrogens could also have a positive effect on bone formation regulation. For androgens, currently available data show that in vitro stimulation of bone formation, with increased proliferation and cell differentiation, could be mediated by TGF beta. The role of progesterone is more recently known. In vivo, progesterone increases cell growth and IFGF-II secretion by non-transformed human osteoblasts. The number of potential mechanisms which have already been demonstrated suggest the complexity of sex hormone regulation which leads to the final situation of physiological calcium sparing in the skeleton while maintaining skeletal structure.