Final answer:
Steroid hormones enter the cell and the nucleus, forming a hormone-receptor complex. This complex binds to DNA regulatory elements of genes, enhancing or silencing transcription. This leads to changes in mRNA synthesis and protein production.
Step-by-step explanation:
Steroid hormones, such as estrogen and cortisol, enter the target cell and bind with receptors located in the cytoplasm or nucleus. This forms a hormone-receptor complex. The hormone-receptor complex then moves into the nucleus where it binds to specific DNA regulatory elements of a gene. This binding either enhances or silences transcription, leading to an increase or decrease in the synthesis of mRNA molecules of specific genes. Ultimately, this affects protein synthesis and can change cell structure or catalyze chemical reactions.