Oestrogens and their promiscuous receptors: confronting reality.

The binding sites of the oestrogen receptors alpha and beta have a structural requirement for ligands with two oxygen atoms (one of which is phenolic) spaced 11-12 A apart. They are open to many non-steroidal compounds, such as those from plants and the chemical industry. The importance of this interaction is the subject of current food safety research. This article examines the methods of assessment of oestrogenicity and their relationship to physiological events.