Question

What property of steroid hormones allows them to cross the phospholipid bilayer.

A) Hydrophobic nature
B) Hydrophilic nature
C) Ionic charge
D) Large molecular size

Answer 1

Steroid hormones are able to cross the phospholipid bilayer because of their hydrophobic nature. This allows them to dissolve in the lipid bilayer and move across it without the need for transport proteins.

Step-by-step explanation:

Steroid hormones are able to cross the phospholipid bilayer because of their hydrophobic nature.

Since the plasma membrane is composed of phospholipids, which are hydrophobic on the inside, steroid hormones are able to pass through the membrane without the need for transport proteins. The hydrophobic nature of steroid hormones allows them to dissolve in the lipid bilayer and move across it.

Once inside the cell, the steroid hormones can interact with internal receptors and initiate specific cellular responses.