noun
- Plural of pregnenolone; steroid hormones produced in the body that serve as precursors to other hormones such as progesterone and DHEA.
Usage: biochemistry; medical; technical term
Examples
- Pregnenolones are synthesized in the mitochondria of steroid-producing cells.
- The body converts pregnenolones into various other hormones through enzymatic pathways.
- Researchers studied pregnenolones to understand steroid hormone biosynthesis.
- Pregnenolones play a crucial role in the production of cortisol and aldosterone.