Explain how lipid-soluble molecules, such as steroid hormones, function in cell signaling.
Instructor solution
Lipid-soluble molecules like steroid hormones can easily pass through the phospholipid bilayer of cell membranes due to their hydrophobic nature. Once inside the cell, they bind to specific intracellular receptors, forming a hormone-receptor complex. This complex then enters the nucleus and binds to specific DNA sequences, regulating the transcription of certain genes. This process alters the production of proteins, thereby influencing cell function and activity.
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