Steroid Hormones Act on Target Cells By

Question

Steroid hormones act on target cells by
A) attaching to receptors on the cell membrane
B) promoting the release of adenyl cyclase
C) interacting with DNA to promote protein synthesis
D) converting ATP to cyclic AMP

Accepted Answer

Steroid hormones are lipid-soluble and therefore can easily pass through the cell membrane. Once inside the cell, they bind to specific receptors, and the hormone-receptor complex moves into the nucleus of the cell to interact with DNA and promote protein synthesis. This mechanism is different from the action of peptide hormones, which bind to receptors on the cell membrane and promote the release of intracellular messengers such as adenyl cyclase or cyclic AMP.