Hormones are

Hormones are

• A. signaling molecules that regulate processes
• B. structural components that form tissues
• C. enzymes that catalyze reactions
• D. antibodies that neutralize pathogens

Answer: (A)

Hormones are signaling molecules that regulate processes in the body by traveling through the bloodstream to distant target cells and binding to specific receptors. This contact triggers cellular responses that adjust metabolism, growth, development, and reproduction, coordinating activities across organs. For example, insulin signals tissues to take up glucose, helping maintain blood sugar levels. They aren’t structural components that form tissues, nor enzymes that catalyze chemical reactions themselves, and they aren’t antibodies that neutralize pathogens. So the best description is a signaling molecule that regulates physiological processes.

Hormones are signaling molecules that regulate processes in the body by traveling through the bloodstream to distant target cells and binding to specific receptors. This contact triggers cellular responses that adjust metabolism, growth, development, and reproduction, coordinating activities across organs. For example, insulin signals tissues to take up glucose, helping maintain blood sugar levels. They aren’t structural components that form tissues, nor enzymes that catalyze chemical reactions themselves, and they aren’t antibodies that neutralize pathogens. So the best description is a signaling molecule that regulates physiological processes.