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Multiple Choice
What is the mechanism of action of lipid-soluble hormones?
A
They are transported in the blood bound to carrier proteins and act on cell surface receptors.
B
They bind to cell surface receptors and activate second messenger systems.
C
They are stored in vesicles and released in response to a stimulus.
D
They bind to intracellular receptors and directly influence gene expression.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that lipid-soluble hormones, such as steroid hormones, can easily pass through the lipid bilayer of cell membranes due to their solubility in lipids.
Recognize that once inside the cell, these hormones bind to specific intracellular receptors located in the cytoplasm or nucleus.
Note that the hormone-receptor complex then translocates to the nucleus if it hasn't already bound there.
In the nucleus, the hormone-receptor complex binds to specific DNA sequences, known as hormone response elements, which are located near the genes they regulate.
This binding directly influences gene expression by either promoting or inhibiting the transcription of specific genes, leading to changes in protein synthesis and cellular function.