Where in the human body are the receptors for lipid-soluble steroid hormones (such as estrogen and cortisol) primarily located?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. Intracellularly

  1. Step 1: Cellular hormone reception depends fundamentally on the biochemical polarity and lipid solubility of the signaling molecule.
  2. Step 2: Steroid hormones are lipophilic molecules derived from cholesterol, allowing them to readily diffuse directly across the hydrophobic lipid bilayer of plasma membranes.
  3. Step 3: Their specific high-affinity receptors are localized intracellularly in the cytoplasm or nucleoplasm, forming hormone-receptor complexes that bind hormone-response elements on DNA to regulate gene transcription.
Answer
Intracellularly (cytoplasm or nucleus).
Why not the others: On the external plasma membrane surface is the typical location for hydrophilic peptide and catecholamine hormone receptors (G-protein coupled receptors or receptor tyrosine kinases); Inside the lumen of the Golgi apparatus is involved in post-translational protein processing, not steroid hormone reception; Bound to extracellular plasma albumin refers to carrier transport proteins in blood circulation, not functional signaling receptors.

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