Hormones

hormones is a chemical that is secreted by an endocrine gland and mainly travel through the bloodstream. hormones are not enzymes.


2 types -

lipid soluble -

  • can not dissolve in water; use proteins

  • can diffuse across membrane


water soluble -

  • can dissolve in water; travel via blood stream

  • can not diffuse across membrane, use proteins


hormones can

  • activate a gene (e.g activating growth spurts, etc)

  • change the shape/structure of an enzyme



hormones trigger a snowball/cascading effect; enzyme amplification



Water soluble hormonesLipid soluble hormones

Steroid Hormones

Protein & Amino Hormones

  • Lipid soluble

    • must bind to transport proteins to travel across bloodstream

  • Water soluble

    • can travel independently across bloodstream

  • can diffuse tho cell membrane

    • combines with receptor inside cell

  • cannot diffuse tho cell membrane

    • must bind to receptor proteins

  • hormone receptor complex activates particular enzymes, by binding to specific genes

  • secondary messenger diffuses through cell to activate particular enzymes

  • slow, but long lasting effect

  • fast, but have a quick effect

when a hormone has produced the required effect, it must be turned off. this is called hormone saturation. hormones no longer have any effect.


steroid hormone:







  • yes present

  • can prep but only allowed one class to make and complete model

  • essday and notes have to be handwritten

  • when making model, research allowed

  • test- A5 , handwritten notes