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Molecular Mechanisms of Hormones

Meaning

The molecular mechanisms of hormones refer to the precise, step-by-step intracellular pathways and interactions that hormones utilize to elicit a biological response in a target cell. This field of study elucidates how a chemical signal circulating in the bloodstream translates into a specific change in cellular function, such as gene expression or enzyme activation. Understanding these mechanisms is fundamental to endocrinology, as it explains the remarkable specificity and potency of hormonal action. The complexity of these mechanisms varies depending on the hormone’s chemical structure, dictating its receptor location and subsequent signaling cascade.