Steroids and Hormones

These flashcards cover key definitions and concepts related to steroids and hormones as outlined in the lecture notes.

Hormone

A class of signalling molecules which regulate physiology and behavior in organisms.

Steroid

A class of compounds defined by a specific structure of 17 carbon atoms in four rings.

Steroid hormone

A signalling molecule which has a specific structure of 17 carbon atoms in four rings.

Agonist

Activates a receptor to produce a response.

Antagonist

Blocks the action of an agonist.

Inverse agonist

Induces an opposite response to an agonist.

Selective Receptor Modulator

A compound that has different effects in different tissues.

Glucocorticoid receptor

A transcription factor that is activated upon hormone binding.

Signal transduction

The process by which a signal is transmitted through cells.

Lipophilicity

The ability of a molecule to dissolve in lipids.

Peptide hormone

Hormones made of amino acids that generally cannot enter the cell due to their hydrophilicity.

Passive diffusion

The process by which substances move across membranes without energy.

Corticosteroids

A class of steroid hormones produced in the adrenal gland.

Androgens

A group of steroid hormones that includes testosterone.

Estrogens

A group of steroid hormones that include estradiol.

Progestogens

A group of steroid hormones that include progesterone.

Negative Feedback

A mechanism that counteracts a change to maintain homeostasis.

Positive Feedback

A mechanism that amplifies a response or activity.