Biology / Bio 0787 · Atom · ~20 seconds
Small Hydrophobic Ligands: Steroid Hormones
Video not yet published
to the StudyWalks catalog
to the StudyWalks catalog
State
A steroid hormone is a small, hydrophobic ligand built on a four-ring skeleton, able to diffuse across the plasma membrane to reach an internal receptor.
Show
Testosterone and estradiol must bind carrier proteins in blood, since their hydrophobic structure makes them poorly soluble alone.
Watch for
Do not conclude this steroid is water-soluble — the carrier protein, not its own polarity, keeps it in circulation.