What are non-steroid hormones?


Quick Answer

Estrella Mountain Community College explains that non-steroid hormones are hormones that do not enter a cell the way steroid hormones do. Instead, they attach to the cell membrane. Furthermore, they are water soluble.

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Full Answer

According to College Prep, most hormones produced by the body are non-steroid hormones. There are three types of non-steroid hormones, which are made from amino acids. The first type are called amine hormones and are synthesized from a single amino acid. The second type are peptide hormones; they are synthesized from chains of amino acids. Peptides make up the majority of hormones and are produced in the major organs. The third type, protein hormones, are synthesized from dozens, or even hundreds, of amino acids.

When non-steroid hormones interact with a cell, they attach to receptors in the cell membrane, Estrella Mountain Community College says. There is a special type of receptor for each specific hormone. Once the two connect, a chemical signal develops, called a second messenger. This second messenger interacts with a protein on the inside of the cell, which then activates an enzyme and causes the necessary interaction in the cell.

Estrella Mountain Community College further explains that all hormones come from the endocrine system. The glands in this system create chemical messages that are hormones, and these messages interact with cells.

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