Its focus is on molecular and cellular mechanisms in endocrinology, including gene regulation, cell biology, signalling, mutations, and transgenesis.

The journal was established in 1988 in response to the rapid increase in research output in the areas of molecular and genetic endocrinology that had occurred as a result of technological advancements of the 1970s and 1980s, such as the development of recombinant DNA techniques, DNA sequencing, and the invention of the polymerase chain reaction.

While papers would still be submitted to one or other of the journals, the senior editors would have the opportunity to suggest that manuscripts be transferred between them where appropriate.

From October 2004, the online offering was extended to include the HTML full text version of articles and separate figures.

The journal is a hybrid open-access journal, offering a gold open access option whereby authors can pay an article publishing charge upon acceptance to have their article made freely available online immediately upon publication.