Steroid receptors are ligand-dependent, intracellular proteins that stimulate transcription of specific genes by binding to specific DNA sequences following activation by the appropriate hormone. Glucocorticoids are a family of steroids necessary for the regulation of energy metabolism and the immune and inflammatory responses. These compounds exert their effect through their interaction with the glucocoticoid receptor (GR) and that complex's subsequent association with DNA. All normal mammalian tissues examined to date have been shown to contain glucocorticoid receptor.