Circulating Androgens --► Estrogens
 
-       Unlike the ovaries and testes, which can synthesize their own androgen precursors, these sites are totally dependent on circulating androgens for conversion to estrogens  - such androgens are produced by the adrenal cortex, ovarian stroma (especially in post-menopausal women with endometrial cancer, possibly mediated by LH and insulin) and testis Leydig cells;
 
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=8257]](http://www.breastnexus.com/attachment.php?aid=8257) 
 
-   Estrogen produced at peripheral sites is probably only biologically active in local tissue - where the aromatase enzyme is produced to convert circulating androgens (ANDROSTENEDIONE in women) to estrogen in tissues containing aromatase, which include:
 
√   Adipose tissue (mesenchymal cells) – this is a major source of estrogen in men (also the brain) and becomes the major source in post-menopausal women; thus the amount of body fat significantly determines the amount of estrogen produced and stored; the breasts contain significant amounts of adipose tissue; 
 
http://healyourselfathome.com/SUPPORTING_INFORMATION/CELL_MESSENGERS/HORMONES/STEROIDS/SEX/ESTROGENS/estrogen_production.aspx