Prehormone

A prehormone is a biochemical substance secreted by glandular tissue and has minimal or no significant biological activity, but it is converted in peripheral tissues into an active hormone.

Calcifediol is an example of a prehormone which is produced by hydroxylation of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) in the liver.

[1] Another example is adrenal androgens like dehydroepiandrosterone and androstenedione, which can be converted into testosterone and dihydrotestosterone.

[2] This biochemistry article is a stub.

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