Final answer:
The family of steroid hormones produced by the ovaries are known as sex hormones. These hormones are part of the endocrine system, which regulates various functions through glands like the pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands.
Step-by-step explanation:
The collective term for the family of steroid hormones produced in the ovaries is sex hormones. The endocrine system is made up of glands that secrete hormones into the blood, carrying them throughout the body to regulate various body functions. The ovaries specifically produce sex hormones, which include estrogen and progesterone, playing a pivotal role in sexual development and reproductive processes.
These hormones are synthesized from cholesterol and are essential for maintaining homeostasis within the body alongside other endocrine hormones like adrenocortical hormones.
Hormones act as chemical messengers, released into body fluids, to bind with receptors on target cells and elicit a response.
The integration of hormonal signals is part of the body's major regulatory system, working in concert with the nervous system. The glands that secrete these hormones, including the pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands, make up the endocrine system, contributing to metabolism, growth, stress responses, and other critical processes.