Estradiol is a type of estrogen whose hormone effects promote female sex characteristics. Its structure consists of various carbon-hydrogen rings and it is a lipid, but not a prostaglandin. Knowing the structure, how would you expect this hormone to cause a response in a target cell?
A)Estradiol will bind to a receptor on the surface of its target cell, causing a secondary messenger to be activated.
B)Estradiol will act as a second messenger in a receptor-mediated pathway after a primary messenger binds to a membrane receptor.
C)Estradiol will enter the plasma membrane of a target cell directly and bind to an intercellular receptor, causing a change in gene expression.
D)Estradiol will act as a paracrine signal and inactivate adenylate cyclase inside the cell, stopping production of cAMP.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since estradiol is a lipid and not a prostaglandin, it can diffuse through the plasma membrane of its target cell and enter the cytoplasm. Once there, it can bind to an intracellular receptor and stimulate changes in gene expression.

Estradiol Is a Type of Estrogen Whose Hormone Effects Promote