The Immediate Effect of a Steroid Hormone on a Cell

Question

The immediate effect of a steroid hormone on a cell is the:
A)formation of cAMP.
B)increase of enzyme-controlled intracellular reactions.
C)transcription of RNA.
D)activation of adenyl cyclase.

Accepted Answer

The immediate effect of a steroid hormone on a cell is the transcription of RNA. This is because steroid hormones, being lipid-soluble molecules, enter the cell and bind to intracellular receptors, forming a hormone-receptor complex. This complex then translocates to the nucleus of the cell, where it binds to specific DNA sequences, called hormone response elements, and activates gene transcription. This leads to the synthesis of new proteins that mediate the long-term effects of the hormone. While steroid hormones can also have secondary effects, such as the activation of enzyme-controlled reactions or the formation of cAMP, these occur after the transcription and translation of new proteins, and therefore take longer to manifest.