Introduction Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder affecting 5-10% of women of reproductive age [1]. It is characterized by excessive androgen production by the ovaries and adrenal glands, abnormalities in gonadotropin secretion by the pituitary gland, chronic anovulation, infertility, as well as insulin resistance [2]. The genetic mechanisms underlying PCOS remain largely u...

Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR)is a transcription factor with a key role in adipocyte differentiation. The Ala allele of the common Pro12Ala polymorphism in the isoform PPAR2 is associated with reduced risk for type 2 diabetes. The effect on the individual is weak, but because of a prevalence of >75% of the high-risk Pro allele, the population-attributable risk is enormous. Th...

The progesterone receptor (PR) is a hormone activated transcription factor essential for female reproductive function. PR also activates cell signaling pathways through its interaction with src kinase. In turn, the activities of PR and its coactivators are dependent on phosphorylation by a variety of kinases. Initial studies using the chicken PR (cPR) as a model resulted in the identification o...