What Does StAR Protein Do in Steroidogenesis?
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3 min read
The steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), also known as STARD1, was first identified in the mid-1980s by Orme-Johnson et al. as a critical component in the production of steroid hormones. The primary function of the StAR protein is to facilitate the transport of cholesterol, the essential precursor for all steroids, into the mitochondria of steroid-producing cells. This cholesterol transport step is the rate-limiting and most crucial stage in the complex process of steroidogenesis.
