Which Statement About Steroid Hormones is True

Question

Which statement about steroid hormones is true?
A) They bind with receptor proteins in the plasma membrane.
B) They usually bind to carrier proteins before being transported in the blood to their target cells.
C) They are synthesized from epinephrine in the adrenal gland.
D) They are released by exocytosis from the cells that make them.
E) They are mostly derivatives of the amino acid tyrosine.

Accepted Answer

Steroid hormones are hydrophobic and therefore need to bind to carrier proteins, such as albumin, in order to be transported in the blood to their target cells. Once they reach the target cell, they can diffuse through the plasma membrane and bind to intracellular receptor proteins, rather than those on the plasma membrane.