Steroid hormones typically alters the activity of target cells by

Options

A. activating primary messenger
B. activating secondary messenger
C. interacting with intracellular receptors
D. selectively affecting transcription from a battery of genes

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Steroid Hormones**: Steroid hormones are lipid-soluble molecules that can easily pass through the cell membrane of target cells. Unlike peptide hormones, they do not require a receptor on the cell surface.

2. **Mechanism of Action**: Once inside the target cell, steroid hormones bind to specific intracellular receptors located in the cytoplasm or nucleus. This binding forms a hormone-receptor complex.

3. **Interaction with DNA**: The hormone-receptor complex then translocates to the nucleus, where it interacts with specific regions of DNA. This interaction can either promote or inhibit the transcription of certain genes.

4. **Effect on Gene Expression**: By selectively affecting transcription from a battery of genes, steroid hormones can increase or decrease the production of specific proteins. This modulation of gene expression leads to changes in the cell's function and phenotype.

5. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the correct answer to the question is that steroid hormones typically alter the activity of target cells by selectively affecting transcription from a battery of genes.

**Final Answer**: Option four: selectively affecting transcription from a battery of genes.

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