A researcher analyzing the likelihood that a cell will be responsive to a lipid-soluble hormone should search for the presence of
A) a specific receptor in the cytoplasm or nucleus.
B) a specific cell-surface receptor.
C) cAMP.
D) G proteins.
E) a specific DNA sequence to which the hormone binds.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lipid-soluble hormones are able to diffuse across the cell membrane and bind to receptors in the cytoplasm or nucleus. Therefore, the presence of a specific receptor in the cytoplasm or nucleus is necessary for the cell to be responsive to the hormone. The other choices (B, C, D, and E) are associated with signaling mechanisms for water-soluble hormones that require specific cell-surface receptors, second messengers such as cAMP or G proteins, or direct binding to DNA, which are not applicable to lipid-soluble hormones.

A Researcher Analyzing the Likelihood That a Cell Will Be