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Pregnenolone (3β-hydroxypregn-5-en-20-one) is the first steroid to be derived from cholesterol in the pathway of
steroidogenesis, and it is the common precursor for all of the adrenal and gonadal steroids. Its production occurs in the
mitochondrion by cleavage of the C-20 side chain of cholesterol by the P-450SCC enzyme. Once produced,
pregnenolone may be utilized by two pathways of steroidogenesis. Pregnenolone may either be converted to 17-OH
pregnenolone via the enzymatic action of 17α-hydroxylase or to progesterone via the enzymatic action of 3β-
hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.
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