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Hormone Classification and Mechanisms · Physiology

What is the primary reason that steroid hormones have a delayed onset of action (minutes to hours) compared to catecholamines?

  1. They are rapidly degraded in the bloodstream.
  2. They must be converted from prohormones in the plasma.
  3. They act by inducing new protein synthesis via gene transcription.
  4. They are hindered by the blood-brain barrier.
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Correct answer: They act by inducing new protein synthesis via gene transcription.

Catecholamines bind to surface receptors and activate existing enzymes via second messengers (fast). Steroid hormones must enter the nucleus to alter mRNA transcription and translate new proteins, which is a significantly slower process.

Difficulty: Medium Question 33 of 40

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