ABSTRACT
Steroidal hormones steer protein synthesis in biological cells. Muscles grow, inflammations fade away, and fertilization is controlled by the action of a few micrograms of steroid hormones.
In synkinesis steroids are useful in solution as spacers between two reactive sites bound to steroid substituents and as matrices on solid surfaces. The magic of the steroidal skeleton lies in its extreme variability of stiffness and flexibility accompanied by consistent intramolecular distances (Fig. 3.1.1). Steroids also form hydrophobic and amphiphilic domains with pronounced stereochemical control and selective solubility in membrane structures.
